Strictly handle officials who violate professional ethics in forest protection work.

(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of August 13, under the chairmanship of Mr. Hoang Viet Duong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Steering Committee for Forest Protection and Development, the Provincial People's Committee held a working session to review and handle issues related to the illegal forest exploitation situation that the press has reported in recent times.

Attending the meeting were members of the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Plan Steering Committee, representatives of the People's Committees and Forest Protection Departments of Thanh Chuong, Con Cuong, Anh Son, Que Phong and Tuong Duong districts.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoang - Deputy Director of Nghe An Forestry Sub-Department reported on the situation of illegal forest exploitation in some districts in the province recently.

According to reports from the authorities, in fact, recently in the province there have been a number of illegal logging cases such as the case of 5 subjects using chainsaws to exploit 23.07m3 of wood (including round wood and sawn timber) in the protective forest in section 7, sub-area 1002, Thanh Thuy commune, Thanh Chuong district (on the Vietnam-Laos border belt) discovered by the authorities on July 7, 2015. The case of illegal exploitation and gathering of 23.97m3 of round wood, 1.97m3 of sawn timber including salted tau, vang, rang rang, chestnut, canarium... occurred in Don Phuc and Mau Duc communes, Con Cuong district and was discovered on June 28, 2015. The deforestation incident occurred in plot 9.13, sub-area 946.947, belonging to the protective forest planning of Phuc Son commune, Anh Son, and was discovered on August 2, 2014, seizing 29.35 cubic meters of various types of wood. The incident of illegal loggers cutting down 3 Samu dau trees occurred in plot 11, sub-area 59, Hanh Dich commune, Que Phong district, located on the Vietnam-Laos border belt, and was discovered on July 3, 2015...

Attending the meeting were members of the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Plan Steering Committee.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Lam - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said: "The above incident is partly the responsibility of the forest protection force. Therefore, there needs to be stronger and more drastic solutions in forest protection work..."

The above incidents have been reported by a number of local and central press agencies in the area and the Provincial People's Committee has promptly directed the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Forest Protection Sub-Department and relevant units to verify and clarify the issues raised by the press; deploy solutions to protect forests and overcome weaknesses in forest protection at the root; at the same time, review the responsibilities of local authorities and shortcomings of forest rangers in forest protection work.

Colonel Tran Huu Hong - Head of the Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department, Nghe An Police said: "Current forest protection measures are not effective. Many cases of open and blatant exploitation have not been discovered and handled promptly..."

Colonel Tran Hai Binh - Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff of the Border Guard expressed his opinion: "Currently, there is confusion between Lao wood and Vietnamese wood. There is a phenomenon of some Vietnamese and Lao people colluding in illegal logging and transportation of wood. Therefore, there needs to be closer and more synchronous coordination between relevant units and localities on the Lao side..."

Mr. Ho Dang Tai - Vice Chairman of Con Cuong District People's Committee proposed that the Provincial People's Committee consider and limit the leasing of forest land to enterprises. Because this will cause difficulties for the locality in forest management and protection.

At the meeting, Mr. Hoang Viet Duong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested to clarify the causes and responsibilities of relevant units when the above incidents occurred. From there, draw lessons and have solutions to adjust effective forest protection plans.

After listening to the opinions of members of the Steering Committee for Forest Protection and Development, relevant units, and localities where illegal forest exploitation occurs in the area, concluding at the working session, comrade Hoang Viet Duong noted: Despite efforts, current forest protection measures are not effective. Many cases of deforestation have occurred near commune and district government headquarters, near forest ranger stations but have not been handled promptly. The reason is due to limited forest inventory and counting work; the awareness and responsibility of functional forces, commune and district government, stations, and forest ranger units in forest protection work is not high; coordination among sectors is not synchronous, information is not updated promptly; many cases are not handled strictly, and have not had a deterrent effect....

Comrade Hoang Viet Duong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee proposed to strictly handle officials who violate professional ethics in forest protection work.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested: The Provincial Forest Protection Department should focus on reviewing the staff; resolutely remove from the industry those who do not fulfill their duties and violate professional ethics; relevant units should pay more attention to personnel work; strictly handle the responsibilities of leaders and individuals in charge if there is forest exploitation and deforestation in the assigned forest area; strictly and decisively handle violations of illegal logging and transportation of timber to ensure the respect of the law.

Forest rangers, police, military and border guards have increased patrols, control, detection and timely prevention of illegal forest exploitation. Localities have proactively increased coordination, information exchange and actively supported functional forces in forest protection and development in the area; directed the effective implementation of propaganda and socialization of forest protection and development; worked with districts bordering the Vietnam-Laos border to find solutions for forest management and protection in border areas./.

Khanh Ly