Chapter 2355

Du Changfeng said, "Secretary, don't worry. If I cannot complete the demolition persuasion work in this area within two months, you can hold me accountable."

Su Xinghui smiled and said, "Alright, stop saying 'hold you accountable.' What I want is for the work to be done well. What is the use of me holding you accountable?"

Du Changfeng said, "I'm just expressing my determination."

Su Xinghui said, "Alright then, if you have this determination, I am relieved."

After leaving Gulou Street, Su Xinghui and Du Changfeng and the others walked around the shantytowns of the surrounding enterprises. The shantytowns here are similar to those in other cities. The sheds are built with asphalt felt. This building material was widely used in China in the 1970s and 1980s.

The reason why asphalt felt is so widely used is inseparable from its characteristics. Asphalt felt is relatively thick, airtight, and can prevent wind. Because it is coated with asphalt, it is waterproof. If you build a shed, you won't be blown by the wind or rained on. Of course, the most critical characteristic is that it is cheap and convenient.

Therefore, at that time, I don't know how many people had to build such sheds to live in because they had no houses. It was both economical and convenient. When there were many such sheds, it formed a unique product of the old city—the shantytown.

This kind of shed has many advantages, but the disadvantages are also very obvious, that is, asphalt felt is flammable and will cause great fire hazards, especially since these sheds block all the roads, and even fire lanes are not smooth. Once a fire breaks out, it is hard for even the gods to save it.

In fact, many fires these days happen in such shantytowns.

Su Xinghui looked at these contiguous sheds, and he felt a sense of shock. This feeling was very bad. He said to Du Changfeng solemnly again, "How many such shantytowns are there in the county? The residents of such shantytowns must be included in the priority demolition list."

Du Changfeng said, "The most concentrated area for this kind of shantytown is this area, with a total of six or seven thousand residents. In other parts of the county, there are some scattered shantytowns, and the total number of people adds up to over ten thousand. We have always included the residents of these shantytowns in the priority demolition list, but there are also difficulties."

Su Xinghui said, "What difficulties?"

Du Changfeng said, "The main thing is that these shanties are basically illegal buildings, and generally speaking, they cannot be included in the demolition compensation area. But as a result, these shantytown residents are not happy, and the work is progressing relatively slowly now."

Su Xinghui said, "Comrade Changfeng, demolishing this shantytown is now the top priority. Some policies can be appropriately relaxed. The residents of these shantytowns used to be workers in state-owned factories. The factories could not arrange housing for them, so they built these illegal buildings. This is a historical legacy problem, and I think it can be given appropriate consideration."

Su Xinghui's words made Du Changfeng very happy. With Su Xinghui's support, it would not be so difficult to solve the problem of this shantytown as soon as possible. Su Xinghui's words saved them so much effort.

However, this shantytown is indeed a historical legacy problem. These enterprise workers have contributed to the factory all their lives, but due to historical reasons, they could not get housing in the factory, or a family lived in a small room and could not fit at all, so they had to build these sheds to live in.

Can they be blamed for this? This is actually something the government owes them. If this part of the self-built illegal buildings is not counted, it would be too unfair to them, and this would also trigger relatively large social contradictions.

Du Changfeng said, "Secretary, don't worry. If this is the case, I have the confidence to solve this matter as soon as possible."

Su Xinghui nodded. Su Xinghui attaches great importance to the work of old city renovation. If this work is done well, it can solve many serious problems, eliminate many social hazards, and greatly enhance the sense of happiness of the people. It can be said that if this work is done well, the average living standard of the people in Chongjin County can be improved by a large margin.

Su Xinghui said solemnly, "You should all understand the great significance of this old city renovation work, so you must do this work well and treat it as an important task for Chongjin County this year. Look at these people still living in such sheds. Do you feel a little ashamed after seeing it?"

Du Changfeng nodded first. These sheds are indeed too glaring; they are simply not places where people should live. Anyone with a conscience cannot bear to look at them. Although he is not a cadre from Chongjin County and his past work had nothing to do with it, it is not yet time to talk about shame, but he also felt that his work progress needed to be accelerated.

Su Xinghui said, "If you have any difficulties in this work in the future, you can also ask me for help. Don't be polite with me."

Su Xinghui's joke made everyone laugh.

Su Xinghui said to Du Changfeng again, "By the way, Comrade Changfeng, that Gulou Street must not be demolished. Not only Gulou Street, but all buildings with cultural relic value in Chongjin County must be protectively repaired. These are precious treasures left to us by our ancestors."

Du Changfeng nodded solemnly and said, "I know, Secretary!"

Because Chongjin County was very prosperous in commerce in ancient times, there were many rich people. And this is the land of Jiangnan, where the literary atmosphere is quite strong, and there are many talents. It once produced a prime minister, and there were even more officials of other levels. Therefore, in Chongjin County, there are still many old houses.

Because Chongjin County had not undergone large-scale real estate development before, these old houses have been preserved in relatively large numbers. By now, these old houses have quite important cultural relic protection value.

Su Xinghui knew that in a few years, the real estate market would rise on a large scale. At that time, for the sake of land, they would dare to demolish cultural relics of any level, so such old houses all over the country were almost demolished. Those that could be left were one in a hundred.

These old houses not only have cultural relic protection value but are also very high in aesthetics, and they have an irreplaceable unique style. The style of these old houses formed the unique style of this city.

For example, the roughness and grandeur of northern cities and the grace and beauty of southern cities can all be seen from these old houses.

However, after these old houses were all demolished, the newly built houses were almost all the same square reinforced concrete buildings, making Chinese cities look the same. This has to be said to be a huge pity.

Su Xinghui knew that he did not have the ability to stop the trend of demolishing old houses across the country, but in the cities he governed, he must try his best to preserve these old houses so that their descendants could also see some good things from their ancestors.