Cam Lam Commune: Nearly 400 households use polluted water sources

For over 2 years, nearly 400 households in 3 villages including Cam, Cai and Cong in Cam Lam commune, Con Cuong district (Nghe An) have had to live with serious pollution of stream water. All activities using this natural water source have been "frozen", mainly due to upstream mining and gold mining.

Polluted water from Xi Vang stream flows into Lam river flowing downstream every day.

Nearly 2,000 people "fasted" from water

According to the villagers, the stream water from Xi Vang stream has changed from clear blue to a thick brown color mixed with mud, carrying layers of mud 5-10cm thick. Mr. Lo Van Mao - Cam village was upset: "For more than 2 years now, the whole village has not been able to use stream water anymore, the water is not as clear as before, now the whole village has to find other sources of water for drinking." With the guidance of the villagers, we inspected 3 villages with streams flowing through, and indeed the Xi Vang stream water source is seriously polluted as what the villagers have reported. A turbid stream flows down from upstream, carrying layers of mud to both sides of the stream. Not only does it affect daily life, but the irrigation water source for dozens of hectares of rice fields in the 3 villages is also seriously affected.

According to Mr. Kha Ba Linh, Chairman of the Fatherland Front of Cam Lam commune, "For more than 2 years now, the stream water source in Xi Vang stream flowing through 3 villages of the commune has been seriously polluted, directly affecting nearly 2,000 people whose lives are closely linked to this stream. In addition, due to the large amount of mud mixed with ore in the water, nearly 10 hectares of rice fields of the people in the village have grown very poorly." After more than 2 years of water pollution, people have had to find other water sources for daily activities such as finding smaller streams, using bamboo pipes... to lead them for daily activities. However, according to the people here, because the water source of these streams is very small, in the summer they dry up while the self-flowing water system of these 3 villages does not exist. The most difficult of the 3 villages is still Cong village located deep at the source, there is no electricity or road, now there is a lack of water for daily activities, making it even more difficult.

Authorities indifferent!?

Although the water source here has been polluted for more than 2 years, the grassroots levels have reported and made recommendations to the higher levels, but we do not understand why this situation has not been resolved. According to our investigation, the reason why Xi Vang stream is polluted is because upstream mining and gold smuggling are rampant. The streams are dug up haphazardly, a large amount of mud and soil mixes with the water flowing downstream. According to Mr. Linh, although this issue is reported to the higher levels at every meeting, even the district-level front has made recommendations, but so far there have been no results. When the people brought their concerns to the competent authority, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Con Cuong district, the head of the department "is going to inspect the mining".

It is known that due to the complicated situation of illegal gold mining, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has decided to establish two mineral inspection teams on National Highways 7A and 48. However, three villages of Cam Lam commune, Con Cuong district (Nghe An) are still using polluted water caused by illegal gold mining.

According to Daidoanket