Efforts to prevent illegal gold mining.

(Baonghean) - While illegal gold mining is becoming a serious problem in many mountainous districts, causing local authorities great difficulty in thoroughly addressing it, Con Cuong district stands out as a shining example in effectively raising awareness and dealing with this issue…

Illegal gold mining along the Lam River, specifically the sections passing through Lang Khe and Chau Khe communes (Con Cuong district), has been ongoing for many years, affecting the lives and livelihoods of residents living along the riverbanks and causing resentment among them. Fish and shrimp yields in the river have also been significantly impacted. Previously, only one mining company from Lang Son province held an operating license in the district. However, this company's license expired in 2010, and it withdrew from the area. Some locals bought the company's gold mining vessels for illegal operations, but the local authorities intervened and gradually confiscated the vessels before the illegal gold mining escalated into a major problem.

Gold mining equipment left behind by locals.

Illegal gold mining also occurred on the Giang River in Mon Son commune during 2012 and 2013. However, when the gold mining boats began operating, the local people promptly reported it to the authorities for quick action. Currently, illegal alluvial gold mining along the Giang River has ceased. It must be said that the successful eradication of illegal gold mining on the river is primarily due to the good awareness of the people who promptly reported the activity to the authorities and their strong cooperation in preventing it. As a result, for the past year, there have been no hotspots of illegal alluvial gold mining in Con Cuong district.

Mr. Luong Dinh Viet, Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Con Cuong District, shared: From 2011-2012, illegal alluvial gold mining appeared in Mon Son, Chau Khe, and Lang Khe communes in Con Cuong, especially in Binh Chuan commune, which was a particularly complex hotspot. In response, the District People's Committee established inter-agency teams including the District Police, the Department of Industry and Trade, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Labor Union, led by the Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, to resolutely address the hotspots of illegal gold mining. In 2012 and 2013, the district's inter-agency teams organized many raids, imposing administrative penalties and confiscating infringing materials. The district also assigned responsibility to the commune authorities where illegal alluvial gold mining occurred to conduct awareness campaigns about the environmental damage caused by illegal gold mining. By the end of 2013, the problem was basically resolved, and the hotspots gradually stabilized.

In Binh Chuan commune, illegal gold mining was once a major problem. The activities of these illegal mining groups mainly took place at the headwaters of Khe Choi stream, causing the water to become turbid and affecting the lives of people in downstream villages in Cam Lam commune. Many rice paddies along the stream could not be planted due to the polluted water. Excavators and sand-pumping machines operated day and night. However, at this time, when we visited Khe Choi, the situation had improved significantly, with only traces of old mining and a few old pumps left behind by the local people who were mining in a "bandit" style...

According to Mr. Kha Van Vien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Chuan commune: Before the rampant gold mining took place in the area, the commune government, in coordination with inter-agency inspection teams from the district, organized raids to crack down on illegal mining, confiscating and destroying infringing materials. Recently, some individuals brought excavators into the area with the intention of illegal mining, but the commune government quickly expelled them. However, currently, there are still instances of people buying small-capacity suction pumps to conduct small-scale mining in the commune. The main solution remains to gradually educate and persuade people about the environmental impact of these activities.

Overall, efforts to curb illegal gold mining in Con Cuong have been effective. Hotspots of this problem in Lang Khe and Binh Chuan have been largely resolved. However, according to local residents, large excavators occasionally sneak in to dig up the streambeds; this requires more decisive action from the local authorities to ensure the prevention of illegal alluvial gold mining is effective and sustainable in the long term.

HV