Erosion allegedly caused by illegal sand mining on the section of Lo River that passes through Tu Da Commune, Phu Ninh District in the northern province of Phu Tho. (Photo: VNA) PhuTho (VNA) - Sand mining activities of a company in northern Phu Tho provincehave allegedly led to serious erosion and subsequent loss of farmland, leadingto public concerns.
Last week, at Lo River’s section that passesthrough Tu Da commune of Phu Ninh district, three ships of Thai Son Development& Investment JSC could be seen approaching the bank to harvest sand.
At these mining sites, hundreds of metres offarmland of local farmers have been eroded.
According to an official regulation dating backto 2013, issued by the Standing Committee of the provincial Party Committee,all sand mining activities at the section of Lo River that passes through Tu Dacommune can only be conducted in the riverbed, while mining at other areas isforbidden.
According to Ha Ke Tai, vice chairman of Tu Da commune’sPeople’s Committee, all eroded land caused by mining is agricultural landallocated to households and individuals for agricultural production in the longterm as per Decree 64/CP issued by the government.
Thai Son Company’s operations have reachedbeyond designated areas in the riverbed, encroaching upon farmers’ agriculturalland, which violates government’s policies and runs contravene to theprovince’s order.
The company, as per its commitment, is alsoexpected to prevent unlicensed ships from other places entering the designatedmining area; however, it has failed to perform this responsibility.
According to residents, the sand mining has beentaking place since a few years. They said they had organised large crowds toprotest and to drive the ships away but to no avail.
The locals had on several occasions also airedtheir complaints to the commune’s authorities regarding the loss of farmland,but local authorities claimed "their hands were tied."
Tai said the committee received local complaintsin February and deployed two inspection groups to the site and caught threesand mining ships red-handed.
He said the commune had demanded that Thai SonCompany provide proper compensation for the loss of farmland caused by itsmining operations and also put up boundary markers and buoys indicating itsexploitation areas, in addition to fully observing the commitments to relevantadministration agencies.
The commune authorities have also asked forinstructions from the district’s higher-ups and notified Phu Ninh district’spolice on the matter.
However, three months later the issue has stillnot been resolved. Thai Son Company is continuing with its operations, causingfurther erosion and affecting 60 households, so far. The demands made bycommune authorities regarding boundary markers have also not been observed.
"More dangerously, back in December 2016,locals discovered four improvised mines with seven detonators installed at themining sites. Fortunately, the explosives were defused in time withoutincident," Tai added.
Since the beginning of 2017, the waterway policedepartment of Phu Tho province has detected and handled 14 cases of illegalsand and gravel mining in river ways, "an increase from previous occasionsdespite enhanced inspections,” it said.
The provincial Department of Natural Resourcesand Environment has issued six new requirements for sand mining companies -concrete posts to mark their mining areas; putting up sign posts with maps oftheir mining areas; putting up name and other relevant information of thecompanies on the ships; and registering mining vehicles with concernedagencies; as well as only carrying out mining from 6am to 6pm, mining at nightis forbidden; and ships must not anchor anywhere near important points of theLo River embankment.-VNA
Last week, at Lo River’s section that passesthrough Tu Da commune of Phu Ninh district, three ships of Thai Son Development& Investment JSC could be seen approaching the bank to harvest sand.
At these mining sites, hundreds of metres offarmland of local farmers have been eroded.
According to an official regulation dating backto 2013, issued by the Standing Committee of the provincial Party Committee,all sand mining activities at the section of Lo River that passes through Tu Dacommune can only be conducted in the riverbed, while mining at other areas isforbidden.
According to Ha Ke Tai, vice chairman of Tu Da commune’sPeople’s Committee, all eroded land caused by mining is agricultural landallocated to households and individuals for agricultural production in the longterm as per Decree 64/CP issued by the government.
Thai Son Company’s operations have reachedbeyond designated areas in the riverbed, encroaching upon farmers’ agriculturalland, which violates government’s policies and runs contravene to theprovince’s order.
The company, as per its commitment, is alsoexpected to prevent unlicensed ships from other places entering the designatedmining area; however, it has failed to perform this responsibility.
According to residents, the sand mining has beentaking place since a few years. They said they had organised large crowds toprotest and to drive the ships away but to no avail.
The locals had on several occasions also airedtheir complaints to the commune’s authorities regarding the loss of farmland,but local authorities claimed "their hands were tied."
Tai said the committee received local complaintsin February and deployed two inspection groups to the site and caught threesand mining ships red-handed.
He said the commune had demanded that Thai SonCompany provide proper compensation for the loss of farmland caused by itsmining operations and also put up boundary markers and buoys indicating itsexploitation areas, in addition to fully observing the commitments to relevantadministration agencies.
The commune authorities have also asked forinstructions from the district’s higher-ups and notified Phu Ninh district’spolice on the matter.
However, three months later the issue has stillnot been resolved. Thai Son Company is continuing with its operations, causingfurther erosion and affecting 60 households, so far. The demands made bycommune authorities regarding boundary markers have also not been observed.
"More dangerously, back in December 2016,locals discovered four improvised mines with seven detonators installed at themining sites. Fortunately, the explosives were defused in time withoutincident," Tai added.
Since the beginning of 2017, the waterway policedepartment of Phu Tho province has detected and handled 14 cases of illegalsand and gravel mining in river ways, "an increase from previous occasionsdespite enhanced inspections,” it said.
The provincial Department of Natural Resourcesand Environment has issued six new requirements for sand mining companies -concrete posts to mark their mining areas; putting up sign posts with maps oftheir mining areas; putting up name and other relevant information of thecompanies on the ships; and registering mining vehicles with concernedagencies; as well as only carrying out mining from 6am to 6pm, mining at nightis forbidden; and ships must not anchor anywhere near important points of theLo River embankment.-VNA
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