Irregularities in licensing sand and gravel mining in Nghia Dan

Nghe An Electronic Newspaper on June 9, 2023 published an article"Need to clarify the licensing of sand and gravel mining on agricultural land in Nghia Dan", reflecting on the recent incident where people in Tan Phu hamlet, Nghia Hung commune have gathered together at the sand and gravel mine of Viet Hung Investment Construction Trading Joint Stock Company to prevent mining activities.

Residents of Tan Phu hamlet came out to complain about the fact that Viet Hung Investment Construction and Trade Joint Stock Company has not yet compensated and cleared the land but has been granted a license to exploit minerals. Photo: Tien Dong

The reason given by the people of Tan Phu hamlet is that sand and gravel mining causes landslides on river banks and agricultural land, affecting people's lives and production. The people also protested against the decision of the Provincial People's Committee on granting mineral exploitation licenses and land lease decisions to Viet Hung Investment Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company.

At the same time, it is said that when granting mining licenses and leasing land, the local government and investors did not complete compensation procedures. The people themselves have also petitioned many times but the problem has not been resolved.

The Hieu River area, near the mine site, has shown signs of erosion. Photo: Tien Dong

Looking deeper into this issue, we learned that when carrying out procedures to grant a license to exploit sand and gravel mines for Viet Hung Investment Construction Trading Joint Stock Company, on July 2, 2018, the People's Committee of Nghia Hung commune issued Official Dispatch No. 27/UBND-DC confirming the area, land type, and compensation for site clearance to implement the project in Nghia Hung commune. Accordingly, the People's Committee of Nghia Hung commune confirmed the area of ​​44,242.3m²The land that Viet Hung Investment Construction Trading Joint Stock Company proposed to rent is land managed by the Commune People's Committee, there are no trees, crops or assets on the land, no compensation for site clearance, no disputes or encroachment.

Based on that confirmation from the People's Committee of Nghia Hung commune, the People's Committee of Nghia Dan district submitted to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for advice on implementing the process for Viet Hung Investment, Construction and Trade Joint Stock Company to lease 44,242.3m²land.

Sand and gravel mining equipment in licensed area. Photo: Tien Dong

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Manh - Head of Tan Phu Hamlet, this confirmation by the People's Committee of Nghia Hung Commune at that time was not true to reality. Because the alluvial land where people were cultivating crops had been in stable production since 2012. Before that, this area had only a few households producing, then the locality proceeded to reclaim and divide it for people in Tan Phu Hamlet to cultivate. Not to mention, the claim that "there are no trees, crops and assets on the land" is completely unreasonable, because no one would be foolish enough to waste an area of ​​fertile alluvial land, suitable for agricultural production like this. Moreover, abandoning land is against the policy.

The People's Committee of Nghia Dan district itself, after receiving recommendations from the people, also reviewed at the time of confirmation by the People's Committee of Nghia Hung commune (2018), there were about 35,623.4m²Land for growing annual crops is managed by the People's Committee of Nghia Hung commune. Some households and individuals are using the land to grow annual crops.

In the area licensed for mineral exploitation, there are more than 3.5 hectares of agricultural land of local people that have not been compensated. In the photo, sand and gravel mining equipment at the mine. Photo: Tien Dong

Asked Mr. Dinh The Hien - Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Hung commune about this issue, Mr. Hien said that at the time of confirming the current land use status to carry out licensing procedures for Viet Hung Investment Construction and Trade Joint Stock Company to exploit sand and gravel mines and lease land, Mr. Hien was not yet the Chairman so he did not know. Mr. Hien also affirmed that the area of ​​agricultural land that people cultivate in this area is about 3.5 hectares (ie 35,000m²), not yet compensated.

Obviously, people's reflection that Viet Hung Investment Construction and Trade Joint Stock Company has not yet compensated for site clearance in the area licensed for sand and stone mining is well-founded.

And the reason why the People's Committee of Nghia Hung commune in 2018 confirmed the false information about the current land use status needs to be verified and clarified.