'Forget' to restore land after mineral exploitation
(Baonghean.vn) - Land reclamation is a mandatory obligation of enterprises after the end of mineral exploitation activities. However, in Nghe An, many mineral mines have been withdrawn after the enterprises have finished exploiting them, leaving behind pits, deep holes, posing a danger to people, livestock and negatively affecting the environment.
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| A mine in Quy Hop. |
In Quy Hop district, there are 46 mineral mines (stone and tin mines). Currently, 20 mines have expired their mining licenses, of which 10 have applied for extensions, 8 have not yet completed the groundwork, and 2 have completed the groundwork, namely Nghe Tinh Non-ferrous Metals Joint Stock Company and Phu Quy Stone Company.
According to Mr. Le Sy Hao, Head of the District Department of Natural Resources and Environment: the district has established an inspection team and has proposed to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to take strong measures, requiring businesses to reclaim land to ensure safety for people and animals when passing through mining areas.
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| Deep ponds pose a serious threat to the lives of children who frequent the area. Photo taken at an expired mine in Dien Doai commune, Dien Chau. |
Mr. Nguyen Duy Tinh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dien Doai Commune - Dien Chau, said that the commune has 6 mines, but 5 of them have expired but have not been reclaimed. After the mining license expired in 2015, Vietnam Minerals Company did not reclaim the land, leaving the mine in the Hon Nhan area of Dien Doai Commune full of dangerous deep holes. In addition, many areas of trees are at risk of falling due to mining...
Mr. Pham Van Hue, hamlet 14, Dien Doai commune, whose house is next to the mine area, said: “The mining company has withdrawn all workers and machinery, leaving the mine in disarray. We who live nearby often have to be on guard against people or children entering this area because of the risk of mountain collapse or drowning due to the deep mining holes left behind.”
Checking the records, Mr. Nguyen Van Son, Head of Dien Chau Department of Natural Resources and Environment, provided more information: At this time, Dien Chau has 8 mineral mines, but 6 of them have expired their operating licenses. Most of the enterprises have not yet completed the land after mining. The most important issue is the land mines of Dien Doai commune. Currently, the district has assigned the locality to send people to guard and not allow people to illegally mine land in the mines that have expired their licenses. Waiting for the solution from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment after checking these land mines.
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| The scene of many "frog jaws", threatening the trees in the Dien Doai mine area. |
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| The titanium mine in Nghi Yen, Nghi Loc of Ha Thanh Company expired in 2015, but this unit has not yet removed all machinery and has not yet reclaimed the land. In Nghi Loc district, there are 5 mineral mines, 2 of which have expired but the companies have not reclaimed the land. |
Faced with the above situation, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has just established an inspection team to review 30 expired mine sites in the province, many of which have not yet completed the land clearance. The Department requires enterprises to complete the land clearance and restore the environment. If any enterprise does not comply, the Department will take the environmental resource deposit that the enterprise previously paid and give it to the locality to hire another unit to complete the mine site clearance.
Regarding the requirements for environmental improvement and restoration for mineral exploitation activities, Decision No. 18/2013/QD-TTg clearly states: 1. Ensure that the environment and ecosystem in the mineral exploitation area and the area affected by mining activities are brought back to an environmental state close to the original environmental state or meet safety and environmental standards and regulations, ensuring safety and serving purposes beneficial to humans according to specific regulations in Appendix I issued with this Decision. 2. In accordance with the socio-economic development planning; mineral exploitation planning; land use and environmental protection planning of the locality. 3. Carry out environmental improvement and restoration during the mineral exploitation process. 4. In accordance with the environmental improvement and restoration plan issued by the People's Committee of the province or centrally-run city for mineral exploitation projects located in the inter-mine exploitation area. 5. For environmental rehabilitation in the exploitation of toxic minerals containing radioactive substances, in addition to implementing this decision, it is also necessary to implement the provisions of the Law on Atomic Energy and other relevant legal provisions. |
Hai An
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