(Baonghean.vn) - Although the People's Committee of Hoang Mai Town has issued many documents requesting the suspension of illegal mineral activities at Len Chua quarry (Quynh Xuan ward), businesses have ignored them. Not only that, stone mining, processing and construction activities continue to take place openly.
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| Len Chua quarry (Quynh Xuan ward, Hoang Mai town) used to have 3 enterprises, including Thanh Xuan Company Limited, Xuan Hung Company Limited, Xuan Chung Company Limited, licensed by Nghe An Provincial People's Committee to exploit minerals. After the license expired, Hoang Mai Town People's Committee issued many documents directing Quynh Xuan ward to suspend illegal mineral activities of Thanh Xuan Company Limited and Xuan Hung Company Limited, and at the same time required these companies to carry out leveling, environmental restoration, and set up danger signs for the exploited areas below ground level 0. Photo: Nhat Lan |
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| However, "ignoring" the instructions of the competent authorities, these companies continue to illegally mine tens of meters below ground level 0. Present at the Len Chua mine on the afternoon of August 28, 2017, reporters recorded many excavators and diggers roaring together, digging buckets with large capacities of several cubic meters to mine rock, creating steep cliffs. In addition, workers are still using drills to continue digging deeper to mine rock. Photo: Nhat Lan |
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| Due to indiscriminate mining, the entire Len Chua area is full of deep holes, and some deep lakes, hundreds of square meters in size, have appeared. On April 12, 2017, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai Town issued an official dispatch requesting the two companies to comply with the penalty decision of the Provincial People's Committee; at the same time, they were required to stop all mineral mining activities and relocate machinery and equipment in the mine area that had been exploited beyond the depth. But these companies still did not comply. Photo: Pham Bang |
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| In response to the violations of the above enterprises, in February 2017, the People's Committee of Nghe An province decided to impose administrative penalties on Xuan Hung Company Limited and Thanh Xuan Company Limited for the act of "Mineral exploitation beyond the scope of up to 10% of the total area or total height of the licensed mineral exploitation area". The amount of money each company was fined by the Provincial People's Committee was up to 120 million VND. In addition, the Provincial People's Committee also revoked the right to use the mineral exploitation license for 2 months; forced to pay money to the state budget within 10 days from the date of receiving the penalty decision, if not, they will be forced to do so. The Provincial People's Committee also directed these enterprises to level, restore the environment, and implement solutions to bring the exploited areas beyond the mining depth to a safe state. However, these companies have not strictly implemented it. Photo: Nhat Lan |
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| Not only did these companies exploit minerals beyond the licensed mining area, they also crushed rocks right in the Len Chua mine area. More brazenly, Xuan Chung Company Limited also built a level 4 house, surrounding walls, and foundation pillars for a concrete mixing station without any procedures approved by the competent authority. Photo: Pham Bang |
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| Not to be outdone, Xuan Hung Company Limited also built and put into operation a concrete mixing station right in the mine area without permission from the competent authority. The People's Committee of Hoang Mai Town directed Quynh Xuan Ward to immediately suspend the illegal construction of a concrete mixing station in the Len Chua area and return the site according to regulations. Without permission from the competent authority, it is not allowed to invest in construction or operate illegally. However, these enterprises have not yet taken any action. Photo: Nhat Lan |
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| Stone crushing activities are still going on vigorously, trucks are constantly coming in and out to carry crushed stone to consumers or transport it to the mixing station. The stone trucks spread everywhere, plowing the new roads where the graded stone is poured. For decades, people in blocks 6 and 9, Quynh Xuan ward have had to live with serious environmental pollution caused by stone mining, processing and transportation activities. Photo: Nhat Lan |
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| Not only that, people also said that the blasting by businesses to exploit rocks has affected their homes and daily lives. Ms. Dau Thi Tham (Block 6, Quynh Xuan Ward) was upset: Around 3-5am, businesses blasted at high capacity, shaking people's houses. Photo: Pham Bang |
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| Ms. Dau Thi Tham's house was seriously damaged, with many vertical and horizontal cracks appearing on the pillars and walls, with large gaps extending several meters. Photo: Nhat Lan |
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| On August 18, 2017, the interdisciplinary delegation of Natural Resources and Environment, Industry and Trade, and Construction coordinated with Hoang Mai Town and Quynh Xuan Ward to conduct a field inspection at the Len Chua quarry area. Thereby, it was determined that Thanh Xuan Company Limited and Xuan Hung Company Limited have not seriously implemented the land reclamation and environmental restoration at the mining pits with a depth below ground level 0 according to the decision on administrative sanctions of the Provincial People's Committee. The delegation requested the People's Committee of Hoang Mai Town to inspect and supervise the law enforcement of Thanh Xuan Company Limited and Xuan Hung Company Limited; Suspend and impose penalties for the act of building a concrete mixing station in the Len Chua quarry area according to their authority. Although the direction is like that, if the authorities and functional agencies do not take strong measures, the chaotic situation in mining, stone processing, and construction at the Len Chua quarry will be difficult to resolve completely. Photo: Pham Bang |
Nhat Lan - Pham Bang
