Proposing the Provincial People's Committee to suspend the exploitation of 1.09 hectares of stone quarry of Tung Cuong Company Limited

The proposal to the Provincial People's Committee to suspend the exploitation of 1.09 hectares of stone quarry ofTung Cuong Company Limitedshown in Official Dispatch No. 4846/STNMT.KS dated August 23, 2021 of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (based on the results of the inspection and settlement of recommendations and proposals of the People's Committee of Quy Chau district, carried out by the Inter-sectoral Working Group of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Industry and Trade, and Construction).

Document No. 4846/STNMT.KS dated August 23, 2021 of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Photo: NPV

Document No. 4846/STNMT.KS informs that Tung Cuong Company Limited was granted a license by the Provincial People's Committee to exploit common construction stone in the Na Bang mountain area, Chau Tien commune, Quy Chau district according to License No. 3313/GP-UBND dated July 31, 2013 with an area of ​​1.91 hectares, for a term of 26 years.

Leading to the inspection of the Interdisciplinary Working Group, starting from the blasting incident of stone mining of Tung Cuong Company Limited (May 31, 2021), which negatively affected the lives of people in Lau village, the neighboring area west of the mine. Through the actual inspection, on June 25, 2021,People's Committee of Quy Chau districtReport No. 356/BC-UBND sent to the Provincial People's Committee, in which it recommended considering suspending or revoking some mining locations of Tung Cuong Company Limited because "it is close to residential areas, posing a risk of causing labor safety, affecting the lives and activities of people in the surrounding area, and endangering people traveling".

The blasting of stone quarry by Tung Cuong Company Ltd. caused rocks to fly into the houses of residents in Lau village, Chau Tien commune. Photo: NPV

On June 29, 2021, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 4328/UBND-NN on resolving the recommendations and proposals of the People's Committee of Quy Chau district. Carrying out the tasks assigned by the Provincial People's Committee, on July 29, 2021, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment presided over and coordinated with the Departments of Industry and Trade and Construction to inspect the current status of the stone mining area of ​​Tung Cuong Company Limited; organized work with relevant parties.

Regarding the results of the current status inspection, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment informed that the Interdisciplinary Inspection Team determined that "the current status shows that in the past, the Company has been exploiting in the East and West of the mine area. The West is near residential areas (about 60m away), and the exploitation in this area affects residential areas. At the same time, it was determined that Tung Cuong Company Limited is using some land areas adjacent to the mine area to build an operator's house, workers' housing, a stone crushing and screening system, and a product storage area (an area of ​​about 1.5 hectares) but has not been leased land by the competent authority according to regulations.

The fence of the suspended mining area was set up after the Interdisciplinary Working Group determined the boundary of the area where mining activities were suspended. Photo: NPV

Based on the inspection results and proposals of the People's Committee of Quy Chau district, the People's Committee of Chau Tien commune and some participants, the Inspection Team unanimously requested Tung Cuong Company Limited to stop mining activities in the western and southern areas of the mine near the residential area (without compensation and site clearance), with an area of ​​1.09 hectares; only allowed to develop a mining plan in the eastern area of ​​the mine, far from the residential area, with an area of ​​0.8193 hectares.

The interdisciplinary working group determined coordinates and set up boundary markers after inspecting the scene. Photo: NPV

Require Tung Cuong Company Limited to hire a qualified consulting unit to design mining and blasting according to the demarcated boundary to develop a safe mining plan; strictly implement safety regulations on the preservation and use of specific explosives in each explosion. When conducting blasting, there must be a plan to prevent flying rocks and ensure safety for each explosion; set up boundary markers and barbed wire fences in the mining cessation area according to the coordinates determined in the field and install signs for the mining area and the mining cessation area...

Quarry of Tung Cuong Company Limited, located near the residential area of ​​Ban Lau, Chau Tien commune. Photo: NPV

Based on the inspection results of the Interdisciplinary Working Group, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment proposed that the Provincial People's Committee suspend a part of the mining area of ​​Tung Cuong Company Limited, with an area of ​​1.09 hectares. Request Tung Cuong Company Limited to coordinate with local authorities and affected households to carry out compensation and site clearance according to regulations; mining in the above area is only allowed after completing compensation and site clearance and receiving permission from the Provincial People's Committee.

At the same time, the Provincial People's Committee is requested to assign the People's Committee of Quy Chau district and the People's Committee of Chau Tien commune to regularly urge and closely monitor the implementation of the above contents for Tung Cuong Company Limited, and at the same time strictly handle, or recommend handling if exceeding authority if the Company intentionally violates. Resolutely handle if Tung Cuong Company Limited exploits within the above 1.09 ha area...