Explaining responsibility for violations at the Forest Protection Management Boards in Nghe An

On the afternoon of May 7, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council held a May 2020 explanation session to clarify violations at a number of protective forest management boards in the province that have caused public outrage. Clarifying the causes, responsibilities and solutions in the coming time.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council chaired the explanation session. Attending the meeting were Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and Vice Chairmen of the Provincial People's Council, leaders of the National Assembly Delegation, the Provincial People's Committee, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee and departments, branches... Photo: Pham Bang

Many violations in the field of forest protection

At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Van De - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported on violations at the Protection Forest Management Boards in the province in the past time. Accordingly, there were 3 main violations.

Regarding illegal exploitation of forest products,In the period 2016-2019, 9 cases occurred at the Ky Son, Tuong Duong and Quy Chau protective forest management boards.The above-mentioned deforestation cases have created much public discontent. The investigation agency has prosecuted 19 defendants. In addition, the groups and many individuals involved have also been disciplined in various forms such as Reprimand and Warning.

Mr. Nguyen Van De - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported and explained the violations at the Protection Forest Management Boards in the province in the past time. Photo: Pham Bang

On violations of encroachment on forest land and exploitation of protective forests, the situation of land disputes and land encroachment between people and the Forest Protection Management Boards and Forestry Companies in the province has become more complicated. In the districts of Anh Son, Yen Thanh, Quynh Luu, Hoang Mai Town, Tan Ky, Quy Hop, the situation of people arbitrarily encroaching on land and exploiting on the land area of ​​the Forest Protection Management Board has occurred frequently. Although the authorities have intervened to handle it, it has not been completely resolved yet.

Regarding violations in financial management,At the Yen Thanh Protective Forest Management Board, 8 officers and employees were prosecuted for creating fake documents, turning more than 30 plots of state forest land into private money to divide and spending nearly 5 billion VND against principles. At the Bac Nghe An Protective Forest Management Board, 4 officers were tried by the court for spending 752 million VND, causing damage to the state. As for the violations at the Anh Son, Ky Son, and Tuong Duong Protective Forest Management Boards, the provincial police and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development are currently investigating and clarifying.

Ms. Thai Thi An Chung - Deputy Head of the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council proposed to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of inspections by the Agriculture sector in recent times. Photo: Pham Bang

In addition, from 2016 to 2019, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Finance organized 28 inspection teams at 11 protective forest management boards. Thereby, it was discovered that the Ky Son protective forest management board paid benefits and allowances to the wrong employees, did not deduct and pay corporate income tax from forest environmental service revenue in the 2 years 2016-2017 of more than 333 million VND; 10 units had violations in complying with tax laws and had to pay more than 914 million VND to the state budget.Through inspection, it was discovered that some projects had violations in construction and installation with a total amount of more than 569 million VND;

Clarify responsibilities

At the explanation session, the delegates raised many issues asking the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to clarify. Specifically, what is the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for allowing so many violations to occur at the protection forest management boards?

There have been many inspections but why are the detections slow and specific violations not clarified? What solutions does the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have to rectify the activities of the Management Boards and is there a situation of leniency or ignoring violations?...

Mr. Cao Tien Trung - Deputy Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council requested to assess the violations and clarify the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development when many violations occurred at the Protection Forest Management Boards. Photo: Pham Bang

Explaining the above issues, Mr. Nguyen Van De - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that, as the governing body, the Department would like to take responsibility. However, in many cases, the cause is due to history, besides the sense of responsibility, capacity and qualifications of some officials performing public duties are still weak.

In addition, there are objective reasons such as the large forest area in the area, while the number of forest protection staff of the Management Boards has decreased, making it very difficult to manage and protect the forest. Because the Forest Protection Management Boards are revenue-generating public service units, but the income is very little or almost non-existent, it is a huge pressure at many boards today, creating a feeling of insecurity in the work of forest protection staff. The lives of people in mountainous areas are still difficult, so the situation of illegal forest exploitation and deforestation still occurs.

Subjective causes are the main ones.

Concluding the explanation session, Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council asked why people were upset and thought that because 7/11 Management Boards violated, that was the majority. Among them, there were units that violated many times, for many years.

“Among the causes, there are objective and inadequate factors. However, the main cause is still subjective, which is the responsibility and duty of the industry. Because there are so many, they were not discovered, and only when the press reported it did they get involved,” the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council emphasized.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council requested the Department of Agriculture to improve the responsibility and capacity of forest protection officers. Photo: Pham Bang

Analyzing the subjective causes in depth, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Council said that there are two issues: Responsibility and capacity. And this responsibility belongs to the protection forest management boards and the governing agency, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Besides, there is also the responsibility of local authorities, forest rangers and inspectors.

In the coming time, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Council requested the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to review, advise, and perfect the functions, tasks, and powers of the Protection Forest Management Board. At the same time, it is necessary to improve the quality of guidance, supervision, inspection, and examination of inspection teams. Timely detect, correct, rectify, and prevent violations, and not let major violations occur. Inspection conclusions must be made public. When violations are detected, responsibilities must be clearly defined and strictly handled.

“If not handled seriously, it is easy to become complacent and the violations will become bigger. At that time, many people think that there is indifference, complicity, and cover-up.”

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council

The area of ​​protective forest in Tan Thang commune, Quynh Luu district, after being illegally exploited, was used to grow pineapples, which is the wrong land use purpose. Photo: Document

For the protection forest management boards, it is necessary to review and report to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development any shortcomings, improve the sense of responsibility, ethics and capacity of officials, and prevent corruption. Strengthen patrol activities, especially in key and vulnerable areas, promptly prevent encroachment and illegal exploitation of forests. Implement forestry policies well according to their functions and tasks. Closely coordinate with local authorities and functional forces in performing assigned tasks.