Thai Binh(VNA) – The northern province of Thai Binh has recently declared more than1,100 restricted areas that can no longer be mined, in a bid to control localmining activities.
The provincialPeople’s Committee issued a decision to prohibit mining in these areas,covering over 7,900 hectares, until 2025 in compliance with the Law onMinerals.
The restricted areasinclude waste treatment plants, waterworks, cultural and historical relics,tourist resorts, coastal protective forests, mangrove forests, lands forreligious groups, and for security and defence purposes, roads, irrigationlands, lands under power lines, oil and petroleum depots, and thermoelectricplants.
The province alsoput temporary restrictions on 657 locations, 617 of which are nature reserves,cultural and historical relic sites and tourist hotspots, with the other 40areas for defence purposes.
It released anurgent notice on April 11 to tighten control on sand exploitation in localrivers in which it asked communes and districts to end illegal sand mining.
The local authoritieshave licensed sand mining in 11 locations along Red River in Hung Ha, Vu Thu,Kien Xuong and Tien Hai districts, with mining only permitted between 6:00 amand 18:00 pm. The local People’s Committee also requested river sand mines tosuspend operation from April 30-August 31 and during storms and floods. - VNA