Allow sand mining during the rainy season

Notably, regarding the proposal to allow sand mining during the 3-month rainy season and add pumping and suction measures, Mr. Minh said that currently there are no specific regulations prohibiting sand mining during the rainy season, this is a separate directive of the Provincial People's Committee in the past.

*Quang Ngai allows businesses to exploit sand during the rainy season on the condition that safety is ensured.*

Therefore, the Provincial People's Committee agreed that it is not necessary to stop sand mining during the 3 months of the rainy and flood season, but that it can be mined at any time of the year, provided that safety is ensured during the mining process (develop a natural disaster prevention plan, ensure construction and mining during the rainy and flood season, and submit it to the competent authority for consideration and approval according to regulations).

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province directed all levels, sectors, functional agencies, localities, especially the Chairmen of the People's Committees at district and commune levels to strictly manage mineral resources in the area, especially the management of sand resources, to prevent the same situation from happening again in the recent past.

In the coming time, if any locality loosens management and allows illegal sand mining to occur, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee will temporarily suspend the work of the Chairman of the District People's Committee in that locality; the Chairman of the District People's Committee also has the right to temporarily suspend the work of the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee to clarify responsibilities and handle them according to regulations.

To restore order, discipline and order in the management of mineral resources (sand) in the coming time, localities must urgently focus on reviewing which content, which point, which work, which stage has not been well implemented, and promptly rectify and organize better management of mineral resources, especially reviewing locations and areas of sand mines where illegal sand mining activities are likely to continue to occur in order to propose effective management solutions to completely handle this situation. Report to the Provincial People's Committee on the implementation results (through the Department of Natural Resources and Environment) before September 20, 2023.

In the past, the handling of violations in illegal sand mining, transportation and consumption by competent authorities and localities was not deterrent enough, and the form and level of punishment were too light, so this situation could not be prevented. Therefore, in the coming time, all competent authorities are required to resolutely handle violations in illegal sand mining, transportation and consumption, and must draw up records of administrative violations or prosecute criminally if there are sufficient elements to constitute a criminal offense; in case of recidivism, prosecute the violating organizations and individuals, and confiscate the means and equipment.

*From July 2023 to present, in Quang Ngai province, there are 3 commercial sand mines qualified to come into operation.*

From July 2023 to present, there are 3 commercial sand mines in the province that are eligible to be put into operation, including the sand mine in Van Xuan 2 village, Hanh Thien commune (Nghia Hanh), the sand mine in An Trang village, Nghia Thang commune (Tu Nghia) and the sand mine in Tinh An - Nghia Dung (Quang Ngai city). The price of sand that the mine owners registered to sell to the market is 250,000 VND/m3 at Van Xuan 2 mine; 220,000 VND/m3 at An Trang mine and 340,000 VND/m3 at Tinh An - Nghia Dung mine. Currently, these sand mines have complied with the installation of weighing stations and cameras as required by the authorities.

However, according to the mine owners, the amount of illegally mined sand is too large, with cheap prices dominating the market. This makes it difficult for businesses to commercially mine sand, causing market instability, insecurity and disorder, and loss of mineral resources.

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