Nghe An: Inspecting the law compliance of 23 mineral enterprises in Quy Hop district

Decision on establishmentInterdisciplinary delegationInspection of law compliance in mineral activities of enterprises in Quy Hop district was issued by the Provincial People's Committee on October 20, 2023.

To inspect the compliance with the law in mineral activities of enterprises in Quy Hop district, the Interdisciplinary Team includes members from the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment, Construction, Industry and Trade, Justice, Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs; Provincial Police, Tax Department and Quy Hop District People's Committee. Mr. Vo Van Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment was assigned to be the Head of the Team; Mr. Nguyen Cong Luc, Deputy Head of the Mineral Division, Department of Natural Resources and Environment was the Deputy Head of the Team.

Regarding the inspection content, the Interdisciplinary Team will inspect the compliance with laws on minerals, land, environment, mine design, labor safety, use of industrial explosives, financial obligations, taxes and other relevant laws of the inspected enterprises. The inspection period is from January 1, 2018 to the time of inspection.

The interdisciplinary team is responsible for developing an inspection plan, reporting to the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for approval; exercising powers and responsibilities according to the provisions of law. Specifically, requesting related enterprises, organizations and individuals to work and provide documents related to the inspection content; handling according to authority or recommending and proposing the Provincial People's Committee and relevant functional agencies to handle violations of enterprises, organizations and individuals according to the provisions of law.

At the end of the inspection, the Interdisciplinary Inspection Team will summarize, report the inspection results, handle and recommend the Provincial People's Committee to resolve the issues within its authority. The inspection period is 90 days from the date of announcement.

Previously, on September 29, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 8250 /UBND-NN to the Departments and branches: Natural Resources and Environment, Construction, Industry and Trade, Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, Justice, Provincial Police, Tax Department and People's Committees of districts and towns. In Document No. 8250 /UBND-NN, the Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to preside over and coordinate with relevant departments and branches and the People's Committee of Quy Hop district to advise the Provincial People's Committee to establish an interdisciplinary inspection team to continue inspecting the compliance with the law in mineral activities of enterprises in Quy Hop district.

In 2021 and 2022, the Provincial People's Committee established two interdisciplinary teams according to Decisions No. 3892/QD-UBND dated October 21, 2021, 1505/QD-UBND dated June 2, 2022. The two interdisciplinary teams then inspected 22 organizations/32 mineral exploitation licenses; and inspected the state management responsibilities in the mineral sector of 4 People's Committees of Quy Hop, Nghia Dan, Tan Ky, Nam Dan districts. Through the inspection, many violations of the law on land, minerals, water resources, environmental protection, industrial explosives, labor safety, tax law compliance were discovered and clarified... In addition, the shortcomings and limitations of 4 People's Committees of districts in state management of the mineral sector were also pointed out.

From the discovery and clarification of violations by 22 organizations, the interdisciplinary team drew up a record of administrative violations and transferred the file to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, the Tax Department and the Chairmen of the People's Committees of related districts to impose administrative sanctions on these organizations.

The total amount of fines and tax arrears is over VND24,942 million. Of which, fines and arrears for tax violations are over VND18,384 million; fines for land violations are over VND2,141 million; fines for mineral violations are over VND3,491 million; fines for environmental violations are VND330 million; fines for water resources are VND110 million; fines for construction are VND50 million; fines for industrial explosives are VND115 million; fines for labor safety are VND321 million.

Also during the inspection period of the two interdisciplinary teams, Toan Thang Company Limited had to declare additional tax obligations from 2018 to 2022, paying to the state budget a total of 17,998,238,446 VND in taxes and fees; and pay late payment penalties for the newly declared additional amount of 2,994,146,196 VND.

The interdisciplinary team established on October 20, 2023 will inspect the compliance with the law on the mineral sector for 23 enterprises in Quy Hop district. These are enterprises that have not been inspected by the interdisciplinary teams established by the Provincial People's Committee in 2021 and 2022.