Forestry companies illegally exploit land

Thua Thien - Hue has not yet converted the land use purpose and has not completed land lease procedures, but Forestry Company 1-5 has arbitrarily exploited land and sold it to many projects, according to the inspection agency.

On August 29, the Inspectorate of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Thua Thien - Hue province and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Phong Dien district made a record of illegal land exploitation in Phuong Hop village, Phong An commune, Phong Dien district against Forestry Joint Stock Company 1-5.

The acacia forest was illegally exploited by the 1-5 Forestry Joint Stock Company. Photo: Vo Thanh

The inspectors determined that the company illegally exploited land without changing the land use purpose and renting land from the state. The company representative said that about 150 cubic meters of soil were transported out by trucks that same morning.

However, observing at the scene, the acacia forest of more than 8 hectares was devastated by excavators to get soil. Dozens of trucks carrying soil continuously moved from the quarry towards National Highway 1A to serve the project.

According to people in Phuong Hop village, illegal land exploitation has been going on for a long time but has not been detected or prevented by authorities.

Present at the scene, Mr. Than Manh Tuan, Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Phong Dien district, said that the 1-5 Forestry Company's unauthorized exploitation of land in this area was an act of "land grabbing" and illegal mineral exploitation. Previously, the unit had sent a document requesting the company to complete land lease procedures before exploitation, but the enterprise "ignored the regulations".

Inspectors of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment made a record of the 1-5 Forestry Joint Stock Company. Photo: Vo Thanh

In 2014, 1-5 Forestry Joint Stock Company was licensed by the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue province to exploit soil minerals as filling materials in Hop Ward, Phong An Commune, Phong Dien District, extended in Exploitation License No. 18/GP-UBND dated March 7, 2019.

However, in 2020, the company was fined VND120 million by Thua Thien Hue province for occupying agricultural land that is production forest land in the exploitation of soil for filling materials in this area.

The authorities also required the company to pay more than VND422 million to remedy the consequences and carry out land lease procedures according to regulations.

Illegal quarry of Forestry Joint Stock Company 1-5. Photo: Vo Thanh

In November 2022, the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue province allowed 1-5 Forestry Joint Stock Company to exploit soil as fill material by open-pit method in Hop Ward to serve the Cam Lo - La Son expressway project and a number of urban traffic projects with state budget funds in the province.

In the mineral exploitation license, the province requires that before exploiting, the company must submit to the state agency with the right to design the mine, establish land lease procedures and report to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for field inspection, determine coordinates, and set up boundary markers of the exploitation area.

However, since then, according to the inspection agency, Forestry Joint Stock Company 1-5 has not yet completed the procedures for land use conversion and land lease.

Vo Thanh

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