House of singer My Linh and musician Anh Quan

Inspectors from the Hanoi's Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued the statement after carrying out an inspection.

The results showed that the land that My Linh’s family has built their house was actually forested land under the management of Soc Son Agro-Forestry Investment and Development Limited Company.

According to the inspectors, in 2001, My Linh’s family bought 12,691 square metres in Minh Phu Commune from Do Xuan Lam, a worker at Soc Son afforestation zone.

Their land purchase was verified by Minh Phu communal government. Soc Son district government then granted a land use right certificate for 600 square metres of the 12,691-square metre forestland.

In 2009, the singer’s family built a 300-square-metre, one-storey house, a 90-square-metre recording studio, a 60-square-metre swimming pool and 300-square-metres of landscaped gardens.

My Linh’s family said they had got a license for their construction but have failed to declare any related documents to the inspection team.

In 2006, Government Inspectorate found that 659 households had illegally constructed works in forest, using up to 11.22 hectares.

Artist Thanh Chuong alone had used from 3,000-8,000 square metres of forestland in Hien Ninh Commune in 2001.

Viet Thanh Chuong ‘palace’

During the construction, Chuong was only once fined a pitiful VND10 million (USD477.44) along with a request from the communal government to stop building but he has continued to expand his so-called ‘palace’ to date.

Inspectors from the Hanoi’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment said Chuong has built several works on the areas and is providing tourism and food services.

Hien Ninh communal government has reported the case to the district government on several occasions to seek a solution but no action has been taken so far.