Tan Ky: Simultaneous operation launched to dismantle illegal sand mining sites.

(Baonghean)On March 22nd and 23rd, provincial authorities cracked down on illegal sand mining on the Con River, seizing 38 vessels. Immediately afterwards, the Tan Ky District People's Committee directed the Party committees and local authorities of the communes to dismantle and remove the illegal sand mining sites.

On March 27th, Mr. Pham Van Hoa, Chairman of Tan Ky District, personally inspected the Con River and directed the resolute destruction of all illegal sand mining sites.

On March 27 alone, key illegal sand mining sites in the communes of Nghia Dung, Nghia Binh, Nghia Dong, and Tan Long were destroyed. The measures involved mobilizing commune police forces and self-defense militia to burn down makeshift shelters, and especially using excavators to destroy the roads leading to the sand mining sites. Mr. Nguyen Cong Thanh, an official from Tan Long commune, stated: "The commune has destroyed the entire road leading to the sand mining sites belonging to Tran Van Lai and Tran Van Ngan."

These individuals have long been using "dragon's head" to extract sand, causing landslides on agricultural land and damaging rural roads. Not to mention the trucks transporting sand, destroying village roads. In Nghia Dong commune, excavators have dug deep holes, 1-1.5 meters deep, on the road leading to the Dau and Coc sandbanks to prevent trucks from accessing the docks to transport sand. Some local residents say that besides some Nghia Dong residents using boats to extract sand independently, Hai An Trading and Service Company Limited has been exploiting its exploration permit to conduct large-scale and extensive sand extraction. They mainly use large-capacity vessels and excavators, hiring local workers day and night to extract sand, earning a profit of 3-5 million VND per day. Witnessing firsthand the area where Hai An Company is "gutting" the Con River, we noticed that the river is low this season, riddled with uneven surfaces, and the riverbanks have eroded in many sections.



Destroying the access road to the illegal sand wharf at Bai Dau beach, Nghia Dong commune.

At the foot of the Sen Bridge in Nghia Binh commune, there were three illegal sand stockpiling points. Local authorities have dismantled all the makeshift shelters. A local resident said: "Boats were just dredging sand right at the foot of the bridge. If the authorities hadn't apprehended them, the Sen Bridge could have collapsed at any time."

Mr. Pham Van Hoa added: The entire Tan Ky district currently has 16 illegal sand mining sites, mainly concentrated in 11 communes and towns, such as Nghia Binh, Nghia Dung, Nghia Hop, Tan Huong, and Phu Son communes… To date, the district has directed the destruction and dismantling of all illegal sand mining sites. In recent years, Tan Ky has regularly strengthened inspection and enforcement efforts. For example, in 2012, the District People's Committee fined illegal sand mining 80 million VND, and the Tan Ky District Police fined 160 million VND. In the first quarter of 2013 alone, the district fined 4 owners of illegal mining vehicles 18 million VND. However, the current difficulty is that Tan Ky only has one licensed sand mining unit, but that license has now expired.

While sand is essential for construction needs in the district and neighboring districts, the district is requesting the Provincial People's Committee to grant permits to units that have been approved for reserves and investment licenses. This is to ensure that sand mining operations comply with planning regulations, maintain security and order, and prevent revenue loss from resource taxes.

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