Rectifying the exploitation, processing and transportation of minerals and forest timber

(Baonghean.vn) - On the afternoon of August 6, in Vinh city, comrade Ho Duc Phoc - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired a meeting to listen to and evaluate the results of rectifying illegal logging, trading and storing of timber according to Notice No. 175 TB.UBND-TN dated April 18, 2012 of the Provincial People's Committee.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Ho Duc Phoc concluded at the meeting.

According to the report of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment: In the first 7 months of 2012, the Department and relevant agencies established interdisciplinary inspection teams to inspect and handle illegal resource exploitation units. Two interdisciplinary inspection teams established under the Decision of the Provincial People's Committee (April 5, 2011) inspected 119 resource exploitation enterprises in the area, and suspended 13 enterprises that exploited mines not in accordance with the mine design. The inspection teams of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment sanctioned 2 iron ore mining units, 15 tin mining units, inspected 27 land-fill mining units and 32 enterprises for underground mining processes not in accordance with the design.

Regarding forest protection and forest product exploitation: Implementing Notice 175/TB-UBND-TN dated April 18, 2012 of the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has directed the Forest Protection Department to establish interdisciplinary inspection teams to strengthen inspection activities in forest areas where illegal forest exploitation is taking place and to combat acts of buying, selling and transporting forest products. In the first 7 months of 2012, the authorities have arrested and handled 890 violations, confiscated 1,998.1m3 of forest products, and confiscated dozens of illegal means of transport. The state budget collected 17,150,851,000 VND.

After listening to the opinions of the sectors: Agriculture, Customs, Police, Natural Resources and Environment, districts: Con Cuong, Quy Chau, Que Phong, Quy Hop, Thanh Chuong, Tuong Duong, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Ho Duc Phoc concluded: After 4 months of implementing Notice No. 175/PPC, the situation of illegal mineral exploitation and deforestation, processing and transporting illegal timber is still very complicated, the press has reported a lot, causing bad public opinion.

Through inspections by functional sectors, it has been found that the situation reported by the press is real, so in the coming time, based on the contributions of sectors and localities, it is recommended that functional sectors and districts implement well a number of solutions such as: Focus on perfecting and consolidating the forest ranger force to be truly strong. Implement rotation and remove individuals who violate the sector. Seriously handle individuals who violate the sector. Strictly manage natural resources and minerals, strengthen state management at the commune level, suspend operations of illegal wood processing factories and wood factories with violations. Assign the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to propose solutions to create jobs for people in buffer zones and forest areas, propose functions and tasks of the Forest Protection Department and management responsibilities between the Department and the Forest Protection Department. Assign the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to eliminate overdue mineral exploration projects, projects behind schedule, and suspend illegal mineral exploitation units. Regarding propaganda: mass media agencies need to further promote good examples and models in forest protection, and condemn cases against law enforcement officers.

Chau Lan