Early planning and licensing of sand and gravel mines on Lam River

(Baonghean.vn) - Up to now, violations in the exploitation, transportation, and gathering of sand and gravel on the Lam River have been rectified. However, in order to prevent recurrence of violations; stabilize social demand for construction materials; ensure employment and income for workers... competent authorities must speed up the appraisal and planning process for licensing mines and inland waterway ports.

The interdisciplinary delegation, following Decision 5445 of the Provincial People's Committee, inspected and handled violations in sand and gravel exploitation and trading in the Yen Xuan bridge area.

“In Vinh city, sand and gravel are currently scarce and prices have increased by nearly one and a half times compared to before,” said the leader of Hoa Hiep Company Limited, the enterprise that is constructing the package under the North Canal component of the Vinh Urban Development Sub-project. According to this person, the price of sand and gravel has increased by an average of VND15,000/m³; previously sand (depending on type) was around 35,000 - 50,000 VND/m³, now 50,000 - 65,000 VND/m³.

To ensure sand for construction, Hoa Hiep Company Limited had to rent a sand storage area at Nghe Tinh Port for 40 million VND/month. “I think it is necessary to inspect and handle violations in the exploitation, transportation and gathering of sand and gravel on the Lam River. However, there must be a solution to stabilize the demand for sand and gravel materials. With the current situation, it is very difficult for people and businesses...” - the leader of Hoa Hiep Company Limited discussed.

Owner of Hang Hai private enterprise, Mr. Tran Van Hoi (wearing a hat) raised some concerns with Head of the interdisciplinary delegation Chu Minh Tien.

Mr. N.D.C (residing in Hung Loc commune, Vinh city) is building a house. He is worried about the sudden increase in sand and gravel prices: “2 months ago, I bought sand from Nam Dan. However, recently, Nam Dan has no more sand to sell. The same goes for sand ports in Vinh city, because the ports have stopped operating. I had to buy sand from Tan Ky. The transportation route is 3 times longer, so the price of sand has increased. I am not very clear about the reason, but I think that state management agencies should consider and ensure market price stability...”.

Businesses and owners of sand and gravel businesses along the Lam River also have concerns. For the private enterprise trading in construction materials Hang Hai, when the interdisciplinary delegation announced the direction of the Provincial People's Committee in Plan 753/KH-UBND-NC on inspection and handling of violations in the exploitation, transportation and gathering of sand and gravel on the Lam River, it stopped business, dismantled machinery, and cleaned up the sand dock. However, the issue of employment and bank loans is a concern. The owner of the enterprise, Mr. Tran Van Hoi, shared: "To purchase machinery, equipment and business capital, I borrowed about 1 billion VND from the bank. Besides, there are jobs and incomes for 6 workers. We strictly follow the direction of the province, but request that all levels consider planning the location so that we can continue production and business. Any longer, businesses and workers will face many difficulties...".

Machinery and equipment of Hai Phu Quan Company Limited have been "idle" for more than a month.

Hai Phu Quan Company Limited (Block 8, Truong Thi Ward, Vinh City) was authorized by Ben Thuy Ward People's Committee to reclaim and fill the alluvial land along Lam River (in Block 13, Ben Thuy Ward) to make a sand and gravel collection site. The source of sand and gravel here is purchased from Lam Son Dai Thanh Cooperative (Nam Dan), transported by waterway. During the business process, the company always fully paid taxes to the State. When the interdisciplinary team inspected, although the location of the collection site did not affect waterway and road traffic and the environment; but because the yard had not been licensed by the competent authority, it had to stop operating.

In response to the delegation's request, Hai Phu Quan Company Limited has seriously complied. Mr. Luu Hong Hai said: "The province's direction on rectifying the exploitation and trading of sand and gravel is correct. However, it is necessary to consider allowing businesses to carry out procedures to open ports to soon return to stable production and business. We have stopped for more than a month now. Machinery and equipment invested in more than 2 billion VND are exposed to the wind and rain; besides, we also have to pay salaries to workers, so there is a lot of economic loss...".

The interdisciplinary delegation under Decision 5445 worked with the People's Committee of Hung Nguyen district to evaluate the implementation results of Plan 753 of the Provincial People's Committee.

Implementing Plan No. 753/KH-UBND-NC dated December 25, 2015 of the Provincial People's Committee, up to now, the interdisciplinary team has handed over the clean area of ​​illegal sand and gravel dumping activities to the authorities of Vinh City, Hung Nguyen, Nam Dan and Thanh Chuong districts. However, in order to prevent the recurrence of violations; stabilize social demand for construction materials; ensure jobs and income for a part of business households, workers, etc., the authorities of all 4 localities have made quite similar recommendations to the Provincial People's Committee.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Thang - Head of Vinh City Urban Management Department, establishing order at sand and gravel trading yards is necessary, but at the same time, it is necessary to take advantage of waterway traffic and organize surveys of locations to reopen sand and gravel yards according to the plan.

Mr. Thang analyzed: “There will be many problems if the sand wharfs along the Lam River are not reopened. Waterway transport costs much less than road transport, which will ensure price stability and will not cause a shortage of sand and gravel and a sudden increase in prices as is happening now. If the waterway is stopped, sand in Vinh city will be brought from Tan Ky and Do Luong districts by road. That will put pressure on road traffic; increase traffic insecurity; and affect the environment. Not to mention the issue of employment, local budget revenue...”.

Mr. Ngo Phu Han - Chairman of Hung Nguyen District People's Committee made some recommendations after the Interdisciplinary Delegation announced the results of implementing Plan 753.

“Hung Nguyen district has 18 sand and gravel wharves, and in 2015, it contributed about 6 billion VND to the budget,” said Ngo Phu Han, Chairman of Hung Nguyen district People’s Committee. According to Mr. Han, if the 18 sand and gravel wharves stop operating, the local budget, which is already tight, will become even tighter. In addition, the huge demand for sand and gravel in construction is not met; affecting the jobs of workers… Therefore, at the working session with the interdisciplinary delegation, the district People’s Committee directed the communes with sand and gravel wharves, the district police and the Department of Industry and Trade to regularly inspect to prevent re-offending; in addition, it expressed its opinion that “the district will choose to arrange a planning location for businesses to rent land to open inland waterway wharves, and propose that the provincial People’s Committee direct relevant sectors to appraise and approve the planning for licensing mines and inland waterway wharves”.

In Thanh Chuong district, 23/23 yards have been cleared. The district People's Committee proposed the provincial People's Committee to direct the acceleration of mine licensing and yard opening procedures (location selection, construction planning, land lease, yard licensing); it is not necessary to have a mine to open a yard. At the same time, direct in writing to guide the document handling procedures during the process of mine licensing and yard opening procedures...

According to the Head of the interdisciplinary delegation - Lieutenant Colonel Chu Minh Tien, although the direction of the Provincial People's Committee in inspecting and handling violations in the exploitation, transportation and gathering of sand and gravel along the Lam River has achieved good results, however, the inspection also showed that there were shortcomings, requiring solutions to strengthen management work.

That is the reality of illegal operations of large-capacity suction vessels on the river taking place at night, making the fight difficult; compliance with regulations on inspection and registration, operators do not have certificates of professional competence in accordance with regulations, overloaded vehicles are common; most enterprises and transport cooperatives in districts operate sand and gravel mining and transportation on the river beyond the control of the government; inland waterway ports do not have a plan for spontaneous and fragmented operations, most commune-level People's Committees lease land without authority, lease land for the wrong purpose, but the port owners have invested heavily and have operated illegally for many years.

After inspecting and detecting violations in sand and gravel exploitation and trading, it is necessary to review the planning for licensing mines and inland waterway ports.

With the above reality, the interdisciplinary delegation proposed that the Provincial People's Committee direct the People's Committees of districts and cities to issue documents directing specialized departments, functional forces and the Chairmen of the People's Committees at the commune level to strengthen inspection and supervision to detect violations and take measures to manage after the delegation's handover; propose that the Provincial People's Committee direct not to bid for land lease so that the People's Committees of districts and cities can lease land to individual households, on the basis of prioritizing long-term dock owners with large investments...

In addition, it is recommended that the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment, Transport and Construction advise the Provincial People's Committee to review regulations on planning and licensing of mines and inland waterway ports for districts and cities according to the provisions of law; propose that the Provincial People's Committee organize meetings to resolve all problems and proposals of sectors and localities. Consider planning and granting additional mines and inland waterway ports suitable for each locality, creating conditions for socio-economic development of the province.

Nhat Lan