Nghe An Provincial People's Committee proposed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke the gold mining license in Tuong Duong: A decision that satisfies the people's wishes!
Based on the petition of the people, departments, branches and the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, after a period of reviewing legal regulations, the People's Committee of Nghe An province officially issued a document requesting the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to consider and decide to revoke the original gold mining license in Yen Na - Yen Tinh commune area.
What people want
Thu Do General Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company was granted Investment Certificate No. 2721000048 by the Provincial People's Committee on July 24, 2014 to implement the Project of Underground Mining of the Original Gold Mine in Yen Na and Yen Tinh Communes, Tuong Duong District, with a capacity of 1,000 tons of ore/year; was granted Mineral Exploitation License No. 75/GP-BTNMT by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on January 19, 2017.
Due to having to suffer many consequences during the periodThu Do General Construction and Trading Joint Stock Companyorganized exploration activities (from about 2008 - 2013), so people in Yen Tinh and Yen Na communes were worried and did not agree with the gold mining project.
From the people's petitions, and because of many years of hard work in chasing and expelling "gold bandits" and overcoming the consequences caused by "gold bandits", the Party Committee and the government of Tuong Duong district have repeatedly proposed the Provincial People's Committee and related departments and branches to consider and request the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017 for gold mining granted to Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company.
In 2021, when this project was inspected and determined to be behind schedule, along with the recommendation of Tuong Duong district, the Provincial People's Committee directed the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to issue a document requesting the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam to consider and recommend the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017.
When the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment made a request in Official Dispatch No. 10340/BTNMT-KSVN dated December 6, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee directed the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district to allow Thu Do General Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company to consult with the people of Yen Tinh and Yen Na communes.
On May 9, 2024, two conferences were held to collect opinions from the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, the People's Committee and the residential communities of Yen Na and Yen Tinh communes. The results of both conferences, witnessed by representatives of provincial departments and branches, representatives of the Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee; Party cell secretaries, village chiefs, prestigious people, and representatives of mass organizations of the villages and hamlets of Yen Tinh and Yen Na communes, all expressed disagreement with the project implementation.
There have even been many opinions recalling the years when Thu Do General Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company organized the survey, affirming that this was a dark period, leaving many consequences for the people of the two communes.
As Mr. Vi Thanh Bay - Secretary, Head of the Fatherland Front Committee of Na Bon village (Yen Na commune), recalled the time when he was a commune police officer more than 10 years ago, he had to work very hard to suppress "gold bandits"; and realized that "gold mining is not beneficial to the people, affects the environment, livestock production activities and also gives rise to more social evils".
Mr. Luong Khanh Uynh, a cadastral officer of Yen Tinh commune, affirmed that when Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company organized the survey, Yen Tinh area often had unstable security and order; suffered many environmental consequences, and encountered many difficulties in livestock production.
Mr. Uynh stated: “I affirm that the project has been put into operation here and caused many consequences. Therefore, I do not agree to implement the project…”.
Or a prestigious person in Canh Toong village, Mr. Luong Hung Lom (formerly Chief of Yen Tinh Commune Police) said: “The company’s exploration has disrupted security and order, caused wives to lose their husbands due to drug addiction, affected the environment, and caused damage to production and livestock. Therefore, I do not agree to implement the project…”.
SubjectRequest the Ministry to revoke the Gold Mining License!
On July 2, 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 5514/UBND-NN assigning the Department of Planning and Investment to preside over and coordinate with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and relevant agencies to review and advise the Provincial People's Committee on a plan to handle the Investment Project to build a gold mine in Yen Na - Yen Tinh commune, Tuong Duong district, ensuring the correct procedures and authority according to current regulations. By August 23, 2024, the Department of Planning and Investment had Report No. 3360/SKHDT-DN, 13 pages long, sent to the Provincial People's Committee.
Here, the Department of Planning and Investment fully and specifically cited legal documents and the project implementation status; opinions of relevant agencies (including the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Tuong Duong District People's Committee, Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company...). According to the Department of Planning and Investment, based on the provisions of Articles 47 and 48 of the 2020 Investment Law, there is currently no basis to terminate the Project's operations in accordance with the provisions of the law on investment.
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However, according to Investment Certificate No. 2721000048 dated July 24, 2014 issued by the Provincial People's Committee to Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company, the project has expired. From December 7, 2021, the Provincial People's Committee also issued Document No. 9556/UBND-CN on handling projects behind schedule, in which the Department of Natural Resources and Environment was assigned to report and recommend the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam - Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017 issued to Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company.
Then, by Document No. 7926/STNMT-KS dated December 20, 2021, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment proposed the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam to report and advise the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke the Mineral Exploitation License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017.
At the time the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issued Document No. 10340/BTNMT-KSVN dated December 6, 2023, the Working Group of the Vietnam Minerals Department held a working session with representatives of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Tuong Duong district, Yen Na and Yen Tinh communes and Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company. Here, Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company requested to be introduced to organize community consultation, and at the same time committed to take full responsibility in case the people did not agree to implement the project; agreed to revoke and terminate the validity of the License. The results of the conference to collect opinions from the Party Committee - People's Council - People's Committee - Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, and the communities of Yen Na and Yen Tinh communes, 100% of the people consulted did not agree!
Therefore, the Department of Planning and Investment agrees with the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to request the Provincial People's Committee to continue to propose the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke the Mineral Exploitation License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017 issued to Thu Do General Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company.
On August 27, 2024, considering the proposal of the Department of Planning and Investment, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 7344/UBND-NN to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, with the following content: "The Provincial People's Committee agrees with the proposal of the sectors and local authorities compiled by the Department of Planning and Investment, reported in the above Document and requests the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017 issued to Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company to exploit gold ore in Yen Na - Yen Tinh commune, Tuong Duong district to serve as a basis for competent agencies to carry out state management work in accordance with the provisions of law. We respectfully request the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to consider and decide".
Decision to please the people!
Receiving Official Dispatch No. 7314/UBND-NN from the Provincial People's Committee sent to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, on September 3, 2024, Secretary of the Yen Tinh Commune Party Committee Quang Van Dang told reporters of Nghe An Newspaper that the Provincial People's Committee's decision to issue a document requesting the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke the gold mining license was "a decision that satisfies the people's wishes".
In a letter sent to Nghe An Newspaper, Secretary of Yen Tinh Commune Party Committee Quang Van Dang wrote: “Based on reality and on opinions and recommendations from the people, the authorities have promptly intervened, reached a consensus to advise responsibly, helping the provincial authorities to come to a decision to request the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017 issued to Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company. Therefore, on behalf of the Party Committee, government and people of Yen Tinh Commune, I would like to thank the attention of provincial and district-level agencies, and the press agencies for sharing and acknowledging the efforts of Yen Tinh Commune in overcoming the negative impacts caused by the exploration activities of Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company, contributing to creating unity so that there is no more gold mining on Pu Phen Mountain…”.