Resolutely handle the illegal sand mining situation on Lam River

(Baonghean.vn) - Voters of Lang Son, Vinh Son, Linh Son, and Tao Son communes (Anh Son) requested the Provincial People's Committee to direct departments and branches to thoroughly handle illegal sand mining in the district. Currently, illegal sand mining is causing serious landslides on the Lam River alluvial plain, affecting production and people's lives.

Regarding this issue, Anh Son District People's Committee responded as follows:

The voters' reflection on the illegal sand and gravel mining on the Lam River is true. In Anh Son district, the Lam River flows through 17/21 commune-level administrative units, with rich potential for sand and gravel (grit) in the riverbed.

While the demand for this mineral resource is very high, combined with many different objective and subjective reasons (such as the relatively low educational level of the mountainous area, sand and gravel exploitation is associated with the livelihood of some people, the conditions for checking and handling mineral exploitation on the river are limited...), the situation of sand and gravel exploitation on Lam River is complicated.

A sand mining case was arrested by the Anh Son District Police. Photo: Anh Dung

In recent times, the People's Committee of Anh Son district has always paid attention to directing and organizing the implementation of state management work in the mineral sector in general and the management of river sand and gravel mining activities in particular.

In the first 9 months of 2017, the District People's Committee issued 20 documents related to state management of the mineral sector, directing, urging, and guiding departments/offices and communes and towns according to their functions, tasks, and authority to seriously implement state management of mineral resources.

Thereby, the situation of mineral activities in the district in the first 9 months of 2017 was basically stable, with no hot spots of illegal mineral activities arising in the area.

The district has coordinated with relevant departments, branches, Waterway Police (PC68), Environmental Police (PC49),... to organize peak inspections and handle administrative violations of organizations and individuals illegally exploiting sand and gravel on Lam River. Handling 15 cases of administrative violations; total fines collected: 56,000,000 VND;

In addition, assign responsibility to the District Police and People's Committees of communes and towns to strengthen inspection and handle violations according to their authority.

The District People's Committee also signed the Regulations on coordination of state management of mineral resources in border areas (on the Lam River) with Con Cuong district and Do Luong district. In addition, it directed and guided the signing of the Regulations on coordination of state management of mineral resources in border areas (on the Lam River) for the areas of 17 related communes and towns.

About the shortcomings and limitations:

- The interdisciplinary inspection team established by the District People's Committee encountered many difficulties and limitations in organizing inspections and handling administrative violations in illegal sand and gravel mining activities on Lam River.

Because the members of the delegation are all officials and civil servants working part-time, they are affected by many public works; there are limitations in terms of means and operating budget while illegal mining activities are complicated, sophisticated, and concentrated outside of working hours.

Sand mining on Lam River, documentary photo

- The coordination work in signing the Regulations on coordination of state management of mineral resources in border areas (on the Lam River) at district and commune levels is still slow; the participation of some commune-level People's Committees is not yet drastic.

In addition, there are many other objective reasons affecting the state management of the mineral sector (including sand and gravel mining activities on Lam River) such as limited access to legal regulations in general, and mineral laws in particular for people in mountainous areas; sand and gravel mining activities in some places are still associated with the livelihood of people living on rivers, etc.

Regarding directions and tasks in the coming time:

The district continues to pay attention to, direct and urge relevant organizations, units and commune-level People's Committees to deploy and perform assigned tasks and responsibilities in state management in the field of minerals; direct the interdisciplinary inspection team established by the district People's Committee to organize inspections and operate effectively.

At the same time, sign the Regulations on coordination of state management of mineral resources in border areas (on Lam River) for Con Cuong district and Do Luong district on schedule.

Gia Huy

(Synthetic)