Rich with sand, stone and soil, the southern province of Dong Nai is being drained of its natural wealth because of illegal exploitation.
Rich with sand, stone and soil, the southern
According to the local Natural Resources and Environment Department, more than 100 mines are operating in the province, 30km east of
Most of them contain hard minerals taken out as construction materials, including pozzolan, laterite stones and sand.
It is estimated that the province’s mines annually provide the market with around 2 million cubic metres of construction sand, 5 million cubic metres of construction stone, 2 million cubic metres of construction steel, 245,000 cubic metres of kaolinite, 75,000 tonnes of laterite stones, and more than 200,000 tonnes of pozzolan stones.
The actual number, however, is much higher as illegal exploiters are everywhere, seizing a remarkably large share, according to the department. Among them, sand and soil are the most illegally exploited.
Sand exploitation
With an abundant supply of fine sand, the
Duong Anh, vice chairman of the Dinh Quan District’s People’s Committee, said the district had fined only nine illegal sand mines and confiscated 1,240 cubic metres of sand.
"In fact, that confiscated amount is just like a drop in the ocean as cunning sand thieves often manage to trick authorities and thus avoid punishment," Anh said. "For instance, when being caught in the act and pursued, they often sink their boats."
Vinh Cuu District finds the fight against illegal sand exploitation even much more challenging as its river borders
Only a handful of violators were captured and fined last year in the district.
Deep holes
Long Thanh District is on its way of becoming a lowland dotted with deep holes as more and more of its surface earth has been removed by soil diggers.
The soil is then used to level construction sites.
Many areas of the district have gradually been turned into thousand-square-metre ponds.
Making use of the local authority’s loopholes and lack of awareness, illegal soil diggers have invaded further into Phuoc Tan, a remote commune of the district, and have already leveled many hills.
"It is incredible to learn that they can level a 20-metre-tall hill and dig 30 metres deeper for months without being discovered by the local authority," said an official of the department, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The province has stopped licensing sand exploitation in rivers of many of its districts due to the serious consequences of erosion, which has altered the flow of the Dong Nai River’s current and deepened its streambed.
The department’s latest investigation found that the river is more than 20-metres deep.
Thieves continue to challenge the ban and mineral resources are exploited in an unplanned and unscientific way by the locals because fines are much smaller than earned profits.
"There were only 60 violators fined during the past three years, with a total amount of VND400 million (US$22,222).
Violations included breaching of exploitation plans, failure to submit periodic reports and lack of environmental supervision.
The fine amount is next to nothing compared to the potential profit. So there’s always a no-fear attitude," said Vo Van Chanh, the Dong Nai Natural Resource and Environment Department’s vice director.
(Source: VNS)
