Do Luong: Mineral exploitation enterprises do not pay attention to labor safety

(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of April 2, the Economic - Budget Committee led by Mr. Pham Anh Tuan - Provincial Party Committee member, Chairman of the Provincial Labor Federation, Deputy Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council, conducted supervision of the compliance with the law on the management and protection of mineral resources at a number of mines in Do Luong district.

Also attending were comrade Le Minh Thong - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Party Inspection Committee; Nguyen Bang Toan - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs; representatives of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Supervision at the quarry in Tru Son commune.

Find out the problems of sand mining enterprises in Trang Son commune.

Supervising at Tru Son stone mines of 99 Materials Joint Stock Company; My Son stone mine of Pha Ngoc Company Limited and Trang Son sand mining site of Thai Cuc Resource Development Investment Company Limited, the working group found that all mines were licensed by competent authorities and were operating normally. In general, enterprises fully complied with legal regulations on management and protection of mineral resources, including resource tax, land rent tax, environmental protection tax... Enterprises also paid attention to ensuring salary regimes and paying social insurance for employees on the payroll (except for seasonal contract workers). However, through supervision, at Tru Son stone mine of 99 Materials Joint Stock Company, there was still a high risk of occupational safety loss, and environmental protection work was not guaranteed. At the mine sites, there were no regulations on occupational safety as well as remediation and environmental protection in mining; mining processes were not guaranteed...

The monitoring delegation also clarified a number of shortcomings and difficulties in implementing policies and laws on mineral resource management and protection. The delegation also noted a number of recommendations from businesses to create greater efficiency in the management and protection of mineral resources in general and in Do Luong district in particular, and from there made recommendations to all levels and sectors to resolve them.

After supervising a number of mining facilities, in the afternoon of the same day, the Economic - Budget Committee - Provincial People's Council conducted supervision of compliance with the law on management and protection of mineral resources at the People's Committee of Do Luong district.

Working with the People's Committee of Do Luong district, the monitoring team found that, in recent times, the district has taken many measures to propagate and disseminate laws related to mineral exploitation management; organized inspections and urged enterprises to comply with regulations on environmental protection and awareness of labor protection for workers. The district issued many documents directing and leading, strengthening inspection and examination work associated with administrative handling, economic recovery with an amount of more than 560 million VND (within 3 years 2011-2013). Besides focusing on inspecting and examining licensed mines, the district directed agencies and People's Committees of communes to protect unlicensed mines of raw mineral resources and handle illegal mining activities.

Comrade Pham Anh Tuan suggested that Do Luong district continue to strengthen state management of mineral exploitation activities.

Do Luong district leaders reported to the monitoring delegation the limitations and shortcomings in mineral exploitation in the area.

At the meeting, the monitoring delegation also requested Do Luong district to clarify the weaknesses and shortcomings in mineral management in the area; clarify the causes and responsibilities of all levels and sectors in mineral exploitation management. That is, mineral exploration, exploitation, processing and use activities are complicated in Do Luong. Management and control of violations of labor safety and salary regimes of workers at mineral exploitation facilities are still limited; there are still violations of environmental protection; dust and smoke affect residential areas and workers. Illegal mineral exploitation is still taking place in the area, especially construction sand.

The monitoring team requested Do Luong district to pay attention to the mining process after licensing, which is the basis for handling businesses that violate the law in mineral exploitation; prevent exploitation without a license; and strengthen inspection of the implementation of environmental impact assessment reports for mining sites.

Minh Chi