Sand mining on the Thi Vai River in the southern province of Dong Nai. (Photo: dantri.vn) DongNai (VNA) - Southern Dong Nai province’s transport department hasordered four sand mining and dredging projects in the region to suspendoperations.
The four projects are: dredging on the inlandwaterway of Thai Thien stream from Thi Vai River to Kim Nhat inland wharf (PhuocThai commune, Long Thanh district); dredging on Ong Trung channel (Phuoc Tanand Tam Phuoc communes, Bien Hoa city); dredging and clearing of Buong Riverand Ben Go River (Phuoc Tan and Tam Phuoc communes, Bien Hoa city); anddredging and operating inland waterway on Dong Kho River (Phuoc An commune, NhonTrach district).
The department, green-lit by the provincialPeople’s Committee, has ordered the businesses to clear all theirmachinery, equipment and workers off their premises and return the premises.
The department’s inspectors in collaborationwith Dong Nai police and the people’s committees of the four mentioneddistricts have been instructed to monitor the process, making public theinformation they have, and deal with those who are not cooperating.
In all, there are 13 sand mining and dredgingprojects that have got permissions, of which now four have been asked to close down.The nine other projects have got licences from the transport ministry, butaccording to the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment,only three are ongoing; the other six have either not begun or have alreadyconcluded.
The department said that the sand mining anddredging projects concentrated heavily on the mining, exploiting naturalresources for profit, but dredging, which is more important environmentally, islargely ignored. Irresponsible, unregulated sand mining causes severe erosionson the riverbanks, and threaten the safety and livelihood of local residents.
The suspension order has come amidst reports andpublic concern over illegal sand mining projects operating all over thecountry. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh earlier this month said thatcover-ups and collusion that let such businesses operate are unacceptable andwould be punished.-VNA
VNA
