Dong Nai asks Ministry not to grant new dredging permits

The People’s Committee in the Southern province of Dong Nai yesterday asked the Ministry of Transport not to issue new dredging permits.
Police in Dong Nai province issue fine to violators (Photo: SGGP)
Police in Dong Nai province issue fine to violators (Photo: SGGP)

In its report to Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa BInh about fight against illegal sand exploitation operation in local rivers, the Committee petitioned the government to allow taking administrative fines and to buy ships for supervision about above-mentioned illegal operation. 

Additionally, the committee proposed the Ministry of Transport stopping the grant of new dredging permits. Dong Nai authority asked the Ministry of Public Security along with local police to tackle illicit dredging in bordering crossing between provinces.

As per Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, People’s Committee in Dong Nai instructed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and related agencies to check six sand mines in the province to handle violations. 

In first five months, authorities in provinces and districts discovered 58  violations confiscating 12 boats; collected fines of nearly VND1 billion. 

14 dredging projects in Dong Nai permitted by the Ministry of Transport and People’s Committee all stopped operation. Even the sand exploitation operation in the upper river of Dong Nai – which borders with the Central highlands province of Lam Dong, Dong Nai authority liaised with Lam Dong to suspend 13 dredging and sand exploitation projects granted by Lam Dong authority. 

Moreover, to prevent illicit in border crossings, Dong Nai signed multilateral agreements with authorities in the provinces of Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Lam Dong, Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City. The province also signed another agreement with the Ministry of Transport to suspect on dredging projects carried out by private companies.

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