Criminal investigation into 9 cases of violations of laws on forest management and protection
(Baonghean.vn) - The above information was announced by the Provincial Forest Protection Department during a working session with the monitoring delegation of the Legal Committee, Provincial People's Council on the morning of August 31.
Since 2015, the Forest Protection Department has organized 30 inspection teams for forest protection at the base in the province; deployed many inspection measures, examined affiliated units, examined civil servants, and public employees, and fought against negativity within the sector.
The Department has also directed units to focus on detecting and handling illegal logging and deforestation; transporting forest products and rare forest animals; and combating illegal captivity of rare forest animals.
From 2015 to now, Nghe An Forest Protection Force has detected, arrested and handled 2,127 cases of law violations; the most violations are illegal trading and transportation of forest products with 1,379 cases. This is not only wood illegally exploited in the province but also wood transported from Laos and other provinces.
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| Working scene. Photo: Mai Hoa |
In addition, the forest rangers discovered 223 cases of illegal deforestation; 14 cases of violations of regulations on logging and other forest products; 32 cases of violations of regulations on wildlife management... Confiscated forest products were 3,974 m2wood; State budget revenue of more than 34 billion VND.
In 2015, 2016 and the first 8 months of 2017, authorities initiated criminal investigations into 9 cases of violations of laws on forest management and protection.
Using Lao license plate vehicles to transport wood
Sharing many difficulties and obstacles in the work of fighting and preventing violations in the field of forest management, protection, development and forest product management, Mr. Nguyen Van Binh - Head of the Legal Department, Forest Protection Department said: The methods of transporting illegal forest products are increasingly sophisticated, the subjects use passenger cars with Lao license plates designed with underground tunnels and controlled by electrical systems, causing difficulties for patrol, control and detection forces.
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| Ms. Thai Thi An Chung - Deputy Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee requested the Forestry Sub-Department to clarify some concerns. Photo: Mai Hoa |
Also stating the difficulties in protecting the forest from the root, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan - Head of the Department of Forest Management, Protection and Nature Conservation, Provincial Forest Protection Department, said: Currently, the forces participating in forest management and protection include: District Forest Protection Management Boards, Nature Reserves, Pu Mat National Park, forestry companies, Youth Volunteer Force, including local authorities and forest owners; in which the Forest Protection force is the core. However, the division of responsibility when illegal logging or forest fires occur for organizations and individuals is currently unclear. Therefore, Mr. Tuan suggested that the Provincial People's Committee should issue regulations on specific responsibilities for organizations and individuals in forest management and protection.
Mr. Tran Ngoc Chinh - Deputy Head of the Provincial Forest Protection Department, said that the enforcement of decisions on administrative penalties for violations in forest protection has not been thorough. The main reason is that the violators are mainly drivers, ethnic minorities, people with difficult economic conditions, and do not have assets to enforce.
In addition to the above issues, according to Mr. Hoang Quoc Viet - Head of the Provincial Forest Protection Department, to improve the effectiveness of the fight against and prevention of violations in the field of forest management, protection and development and forest product management in the province, in addition to the functional forces, it is also necessary to assign responsibility to the Border Guard force in managing forests in border areas.
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| Que Phong Forest Protection Department coordinated with relevant sectors to allocate swidden fields to people in Tien Phong commune. Photo courtesy |
The Forest Ranger Force requested the province to study and consider adding more staff, because currently it only meets more than 66% of the required staff, with 398 people/600 required staff.
The Head of the Provincial Forest Protection Department also proposed to amend and supplement a number of legal regulations in forest management and protection as well as prevention of violations in this field.
Based on information received from the Forest Protection Department, on behalf of the working delegation, Ms. Thai Thi An Chung - Deputy Head of the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council shared the difficulties and requested the Forest Protection force to continue to promote a high sense of responsibility to complete their tasks./.
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