Was there a "tall and big" tennis court in a village in Huai'an?
The tennis court illegally occupied and constructed by the village committee photo by Zhu Dingzhao
It was originally an "illegal building" built by the village committee illegally occupying more than 10,000 square meters of land
In Zhangxing Village, Shitang Town, Huaian District, Huai'an City, there are standardized tennis courts, basketball courts, and football fields in the village. Are they tall?
What is the utilization rate of these sports venues?
Which groups are using these venues?
The reporter conducted an on-site interview on the 9th. What surprised the reporter was that these three sports venues were illegally occupied by the village committee and built "illegal buildings."
Yangtze Evening News/Ziniu News reporter Zhu Dingzhao
Village committee illegally occupied land to build tennis, basketball, and football fields
With blue bricks and black tiles, neat pavements, and houses with uniform styles on both sides of the road, walking into Zhangxing Village, Shitang Town, Huai'an District, the reporter first felt that the planning of the village was neatly integrated.
A villager heard that the reporter was looking for a tennis court, saying that he only knew that there were basketball courts and football fields, but did not know what a tennis court was.
Another villager heard that he was going to the tennis court and was very enthusiastic to take the reporter there.
"I heard that I was fined. This tennis court has been built for a few months, and the villagers don't know how to play (tennis), but this summer, some children often go to the court to play." The villager said.
Soon, a standardized, seemingly brand new tennis court appeared in front of reporters.
I saw that the entrance door of the tennis court was closed tightly. When the reporter arrived at 9 o'clock in the morning, there was no one inside.
I only heard that I was fined, but I don’t know why I was fined.
This enthusiastic villager told reporters that he was not originally a villager in Zhangxing Village, but when the farm house in Shitang Town was improved, the town built a new Zhangxing community in Zhangxing Village, so he moved here to live.
Is it necessary to build a tennis court in the village?
A villager unabashedly told reporters that he heard that the tennis courts, basketball courts, and football fields in the village were punished by the relevant authorities for illegally occupying land. In rural areas, almost all people over the age of 50 are unable to play. Besides, tennis rackets are also very expensive. It is better to build a table tennis court or badminton court, which is more practical.
So who exactly is using the tennis court?
The villager said that in addition to children coming to play during the summer vacation, he occasionally saw some people who looked like leaders playing tennis.
Under his leadership, the reporter then went to the standardized football and basketball courts in the village. Like the tennis courts, they looked new, but there was no one inside.
Faced with punishment, the village said that the fine has not been paid and there is no plan for demolition
On the morning of the 9th, at Zhangxing Village Committee in Shitang Town, the reporter met with the village party secretary and village committee director Wen Zaijian. After learning the reporter’s intention, he took out three copies of the Natural Resources Administration of Huai’an Natural Resources and Planning Bureau. The penalty decision letter stated that they were severely unjustly punished by administrative punishment for illegally occupying land to construct tennis courts, football fields, and basketball courts.
Wen Zaijian told reporters that the tennis court plot was originally a cemetery. When the farmhouse was renovated to build the Zhangxing community, the cemetery did not match the overall green environment of the community, which affected the overall image. Sports facilities are required, so tennis courts, basketball courts, and football fields were built around May and June this year.
As for how much money was spent on the three stadiums, Wen Zaijian said that he did not know that this was a matter for the town government.
However, he can be sure that the three courts are not built for certain individuals or specific groups of people.
Wen Zaijian said while taking out three natural resource administrative punishment decisions issued by Huai'an Natural Resources and Planning Bureau, all of which were based on illegal occupation of collective land.
In one of them, the Zhangxing Village Committee was fined more than 260,000 yuan by the Huai’an Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning for occupying 13,353 square meters of collective land without legal approval, and the village committee was restricted to dismantle the non-compliant land within 15 days. Utilize 13,353 square meters of newly built buildings in the overall plan to restore the original state of the land.
This is a punishment for illegally occupying land to build a football field.
Wen Zaijian told reporters that building a tennis court was also fined 11340 yuan for illegally occupying 567 square meters of land, and was limited to demolish the tennis court within 15 days and restore the land to its original condition.
Just as the reporter was about to read the third administrative penalty decision, Secretary Wen Zaijian tactfully took away the three decisions.
The two administrative penalty decisions that the reporter saw stated that before the issuance of the decision, the Huai’an Natural Resources and Planning Bureau had issued an administrative penalty notice to the Zhangxing Village Committee, but the village committee did not specify Request for hearing or make statement and defense within time.
The reporter noticed that there are less than two days to pay the fine within 15 days as stipulated in the administrative penalty decision and the demolition of the illegally occupied buildings. However, there are no signs of demolition of football fields, tennis courts, and basketball courts. , Secretary Wen Zaijian felt that he was punished very unjustly.
According to Wen Zaijian, Zhangxing Village is currently a provincial-level residential improvement demonstration area and a provincial-level rural village with characteristics. It is now applying for the most beautiful village in China. According to relevant application regulations, there must be supporting sports facilities (venues and gymnasiums). All three stadiums are open to the public for free. Now not only will they have to be demolished, but they also have to pay hundreds of thousands of fines. He is a bit puzzled. As for whether to pay the fines and whether the three stadiums will be demolished, there is currently no plan. I'll talk about it after coordination.