The Provincial People's Council supervises the state management of minerals in Quy Hop district.

On the afternoon of September 20, the Provincial People's Council's monitoring delegation had a working session with the People's Committee of Quy Hop district according to the thematic monitoring program on state management of minerals in Nghe An province.

Comrade Nguyen Nhu Khoi - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council led the monitoring delegation. The delegation included Comrade Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee; representatives of a number of provincial departments and branches.

Scene of the working session between the Provincial People's Council's monitoring delegation and the Quy Hop District People's Committee according to the thematic monitoring program. Photo: Mai Hoa

Quy Hop has 79 licensed mines with valid licenses.

According to the report of the People's Committee of Quy Hop district, there are currently a total of 79 licensed mines in the district, of which 34 mines exploit white marble; 29 mines exploit construction stone; the rest are sand, gravel, tin ore, and mineral water mines.

In addition, there are 78 expired mines, of which 50 mines have been decided to close; 11 mines have been re-issued; 14 mines are carrying out re-issuance procedures; 3 mines are carrying out environmental improvement and restoration according to the project approved by the Provincial People's Committee.

In addition to the mines, the district currently has 158 mineral processing factories, of which 47 are household-owned factories.

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Tung - Chairman of Quy Hop District People's Committee proposed that the province have a special mechanism for the district to strengthen mineral management in the area. Photo: Mai Hoa

As a key district in mineral exploitation, Quy Hop pays attention to the direction and state management of this field. In the past 5 years (2016-2021), the District People's Committee has issued 44 documents directing and decentralizing the management and protection of mineral resources.

This locality also pays special attention to the propaganda and dissemination of mineral laws among management staff at all levels, in enterprises and people; associated with inspection, examination and strict handling of violations in unlicensed mineral exploitation, exploitation outside licensed mining areas, exploitation exceeding licensed capacity and reserves; environmental protection, labor safety in mineral exploitation and processing activities.

Comrade Cao Tien Trung - Standing Member of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the Economic - Budget Committee, Provincial People's Council raised a number of concerns related to degraded traffic infrastructure and environmental pollution around mining areas. Photo: Mai Hoa

Thereby, state management of minerals in the area is increasingly effective and mineral exploitation activities in the area also gradually limit negative impacts.

However, Quy Hop district also frankly pointed out some difficulties in mineral management: mineral areas are often concentrated in high mountainous areas, traffic is difficult, so inspection and handling of violations is very difficult;Some minerals such as ornamental stones and lithic stones are often scattered in small areas in people's gardens and agricultural land, making them difficult to manage. On the other hand, the staff of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment is thin, with only 5 people, affecting management work.

To make mineral management in the area more effective, Quy Hop district proposed that the province have a specific mechanism for the locality, including a mechanism for tax revenue from mineral activities and additional mineral management staff; support for investment in infrastructure for stone processing industrial clusters; funding for state management of mineral resources and environmental protection in the area; funding for handling expired mines, etc.

Major Hoang Chi Hieu - Deputy Head of the Environmental Police Department, Provincial Police said that there is still a situation of using explosives in violation of regulations in Quy Hop district. Photo: Mai Hoa

Continue to strengthen state management of mineralsproduct

Through two direct survey teams at a number of mining sites in Chau Loc and Lien Hop communes and working with the People's Committees of Chau Hong, Chau Loc and Lien Hop communes, and listening to people's opinions; at the meeting with the District People's Committee, members of the Provincial People's Council's supervision delegation raised many concerns and proposed that the district continue to pay attention, participate more regularly and decisively, including clarifying the responsibilities of each level, branch, agency and unit to create a real change in the coming time.

It is evident that illegal mining of stone and tin still occurs in the area. There are still cases of mining enterprises operating outside the licensed area and mining beyond the licensed capacity and reserves; some cases of illegal use of explosives and blasting affecting the lives of people near the mine area.

Comrade Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee mentioned the management and handling of licensed mines that have not been exploited for many years. Photo: Mai Hoa

Some members of the monitoring team also reported the deterioration of the traffic infrastructure around the mine area and pollution from rock dust and mineral transportation. The monitoring team also raised a number of issues of concern related to the settlement of subsidence in Chau Hong commune, ensuring housing for the people; handling oversized and overloaded vehicles; managing workers from outside the area working in enterprises and ensuring occupational safety and hygiene.

During the meeting, comrade Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee raised many related issues, such as: Some mines have been licensed for many years, some mines have been licensed for 13 years but have not been exploited; some mines have been exploited at a moderate level, the mine has expired but has not been closed; the issue of environmental restoration at some mines is not guaranteed; promoting the role and using information to denounce crimes and violations of the law in the field of minerals from the people; implementing the collection of people's opinions in the process of implementing mine licensing dossiers...

Comrade Nguyen Nhu Khoi - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council is interested in strengthening solutions to prevent tax losses from mineral activities in the district. Photo: Mai Hoa

Concluding the meeting, highly appreciating the locality's efforts in state management of minerals in the province, comrade Nguyen Nhu Khoi - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council also said that mineral activities in the area are potentially facing many complex and difficult factors, and requested Quy Hop district to continue to pay attention.

In particular, the district needs to pay attention to strengthening inspection, examination and supervision of mineral exploitation activities; especially focusing on overcoming the situations of mineral exploitation and processing that affect people's lives such as noise, dust pollution, domestic water pollution and people's housing.

Comrade Nguyen Nhu Khoi - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council listened to the sharing of people of Chau Hong commune. Photo: Mai Hoa

The district also needs to focus on urging and handling the consequences of subsidence in Chau Hong commune, soon stabilizing people's lives; Strengthening closer and more effective coordination with all levels and sectors in management as well as handling violations, overcoming possible incidents; Maintaining a reporting regime on the situation of mineral exploitation activities from the grassroots to handle situations and violations; Considering environmental restoration after exploitation and the mechanism of land allocation for people to develop the economy.

Comrade Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee directly surveyed the quarry in Chau Loc commune. Photo: Phan Giang

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council also affirmed that the Provincial People's Council's supervision of state management of minerals aims to correctly assess the current situation and find solutions to remove obstacles, making mineral exploitation and processing activities across the province effective and ensuring safety.