Destroyed forests
Hon Cha Mountain in Area 5 (Tran Quang Dieu Ward, Quy Nhon City) is one of the hot spots of illegal mineral exploitation in recent years. It is worth mentioning that this situation does not only happen in small, disjointed ways, but also has the participation of businesses. Heavy machinery, specialized for mineral exploitation, brazenly carved hills to get rocks, while local authorities seemed helpless in preventing violations.
The illegal mineral exploitation situation was only corrected when Lao Dong Newspaper and press agencies took action. After that, Binh Dinh province trieuended a meeting with departments, branches and localities to remove obstacles and find solutions at Hon Cha mountain.
The illegal mining of hills and mountains has caused serious damage to natural resources and left unpredictable potential consequences. Primeval forests were destroyed, land was eroded, causing the risk of landslides and flash floods during the rainy season, directly threatening people's lives. The abandoned mining areas leave behind remnants of messy stone fields, exposed in the sky, losing the natural beauty of mountains and forests and completely changing the inherent ecosystem.
Not only that, illegal mineral exploitation also creates social instability, when protection groups and interest gangs appear, threatening security and order and causing difficulties in management and supervision.
These are also the concerns that Chairman of Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee Pham Anh Tuan expressed when witnessing the abandoned scene of Hon Cha mountain, after a long period of extensive exploitation. He understands the seriousness of the situation and the unpredictable consequences if natural disasters occur.
Mr. Pham Anh Tuan's point of view is very clear, Binh Dinh province always creates the most favorable conditions for businesses to invest and develop production. However, resource exploitation must comply within the legal framework and in accordance with regulations.
Mr. Pham Anh Tuan has also directed to strictly prohibit all illegal mineral exploitation activities at Hon Cha Mountain, and at the same time requested the authorities to thoroughly handle all violations. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment and Quy Nhon City will be responsible to the Provincial People's Committee if illegal mineral exploitation occurs, causing a risk of landslides.
Commune Chairman stuck in a broken heart for allowing "sand bandits" to rampage
Regarding the illegal exploitation of minerals, in early February 2025, the Investigation Security Agency of Binh Dinh Provincial Police prosecuted Mr. Duong Thanh Cuong - Chairman of the People's Committee of Nhon Phuc Commune (An Nhon Town) - for the crime of Irresponsibility causing serious consequences.
The violation of the Chairman of the People's Committee of Nhon Phuc Commune was exposed when the Binh Dinh Provincial Police ambushed and arrested the subjects and vehicles illegally mining sand in My Thanh village (Nhon Phuc commune), with a volume of more than 2,400m3 on the night of May 29, 2024.
The investigation agency determined that Mr. Duong Thanh Cuong had lax management and was irresponsible in performing his duties and tasks in the inspection and handling of cases of illegal exploitation of natural resources and minerals in the area.
Notably, Mr. Duong Thanh Cuong also showed signs of "broken hands", secretly taking advantage of the "sand bandits", when these subjects (defendants N.D.S.V and N.D.D) confessed that they had repeatedly given money to the Chairman of Nhon Phuc Commune during illegal sand mining.
This case shows the need to strictly handle corruption and assist "sand bandits" to protect national resources and ensure social justice.
