The situation of illegal sand mining, gathering, transporting and trading minerals not in accordance with regulations is posing many challenges for resource management in Hung Yen province.
Faced with this reality, Hung Yen Provincial People's Committee has just issued a directive requesting departments, branches, and localities to strengthen inspection and strictly handle violations, and at the same time apply technology to monitor mineral exploitation activities.
This request was issued in the context of many localities experiencing riverbank erosion, directly affecting people's lives and production. Typically, in Chau Ninh commune, many households in Nam Mau, Phuong Tru and Kien Chau villages continuously reflected on the serious erosion of cultivated land along the Red River.
According to people, the alluvial area along the river used for growing crops has been almost completely swept away, many points have large cracks, with the risk of further subsidence into the riverbed. While the area of agricultural land allocated to each household is not large, the loss of production land makes many families worried about livelihoods.
People also reflected that many sand dredgers regularly operate near the riverbank, both day and night. Even on May 12, 2026, people in Kien Chau village recorded images of many sand dredgers operating publicly near the Red River bank and posted them on social networks, raising concerns about the risk of landslides.
According to Hung Yen Provincial People's Committee, in the past time, state management of mineral activities has had many positive changes. However, in some localities, there are still cases of enterprises mining without licenses; establishing sand and gravel gathering yards against regulations; buying and selling minerals of unknown origin; converted watercraft for illegal sand mining.
These violations not only cause resource loss but also change the flow, increase the risk of riverbank erosion, and affect dike safety and people's lives.
The directive of the Provincial People's Committee requires heads of departments, branches and People's Committees of communes and wards to be responsible if illegal mineral exploitation occurs for a long time in the area without timely prevention and handling. In case functional forces of the Ministry of Public Security detect and handle serious cases, they must organize a review of the responsibility of the heads.
The Department of Agriculture and Environment is assigned to take the lead in reviewing planning, strengthening inspection of law compliance of mineral exploitation units; regularly monitoring the diễn biến of riverbank and riverbank erosion; implementing measures to protect water source corridors, and at the same time applying AI cameras, remote sensing images, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and journey monitoring devices to manage sand mining activities.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Police are assigned to launch peak patrols and inspections on river routes; compile a list of routes, areas, wharves, and vehicles showing signs of violations; strictly handle acts of illegal exploitation, transportation, and consumption of sand and gravel, and at the same time publicize typical cases to enhance deterrence.
