Nghe An: Commune Vice Chairman discovered destroying 2.4 hectares of forest

The incident was discovered on March 3, 2019, after the Forest Rangers of Chau Phong commune patrolled the forest protection work in Sub-area 196, which belongs to the production forest land of the Quy Chau Protective Forest Management Board. At that time, they discovered that Mr. Vi Van Thanh (born in 1983) and Mr. Le Van Nhi (born in 1969), both residing in May village, Chau Phong commune, were illegally cutting down forest in lot 25, area 6, Sub-area 196.

The forest area in Sub-region 196, under the Quy Chau Protective Forest Management Board, was deforested. Photo: PV

On March 4, 2019, the authorities of Quy Chau district established a field inspection team to determine the area of ​​forest that had been cut down. Thereby, it was determined that Mr. Vi Van Thanh had destroyed 24,985 square meters; and Mr. Le Van Nhi had destroyed 12,500 square meters.

The type of forest that Mr. Vi Van Thanh and Mr. Le Van Nhi destroyed was determined to be a production forest; mixed forest status HG2 (mixed forest of bamboo, reed, and natural wood of the mountain soil). The reserve in the area that Mr. Vi Van Thanh destroyed was 11,280 bamboo trees and more than 31m³wood; the reserve on the area that Mr. Le Van Nhi cut down was 4,650 bamboo trees, 17,725m³wood.

The state of the deforested forest was determined to be a mixed forest with bamboo, reed and mountain wood. Photo: PV

On March 7, 2019, through a meeting to mobilize people to denounce, the authorities of Quy Chau district discovered 6 more cases of households encroaching on forest land in Sub-area 196 with the purpose of clearing and planting acacia trees. Through inspection, the area of ​​6 households encroaching on nearly 6 hectares, which is production forest land, is mostly vacant land. These forest land areas are all under the management of the Quy Chau Protective Forest Management Board.

According to the Quy Chau Forest Protection Department, since March 15, 2019, the Department has sent a detailed report to the Forest Protection Department. At the same time, considering the nature and extent of the violation, it has requested the Quy Chau Protective Forest Management Board to transfer the file to the District Police Investigation Agency for investigation and handling in accordance with the provisions of law.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Quy Chau district, Mr. Ngo Duc Thuan confirmed that the District Police Investigation Agency has received the file and is investigating to clarify the matter. The Chairman of the People's Committee of Quy Chau district clearly stated his point of view: "If there is an act of violating the law, it must be handled. If officials and party members violate the law, they must be handled even more strictly...".

On March 18, 2019, the Forest Protection Department issued Document No. 172/KL-TTrPC to the Quy Chau Forest Protection Department. It requested the Department to guide the Quy Chau Protective Forest Management Board to fully prepare a case file of the violation to transfer to the competent authority to handle the violation according to the provisions of law. Coordinate with the police and other competent authorities to advise the District People's Committee to promptly handle the case...