Dust covers the village, houses shake
Reporting to Lao Dong Newspaper, many households in Ma Tuyen village, Sa Pa village (Muong Khuong commune) expressed their frustration and insecurity when their lives were affected by the stone mining activities of Hung Phat Company Limited (Hung Phat stone quarry).
According to local residents, since Hung Phat quarry began mining, the lives of households around the area have fallen into misery. Not only does the dust fly everywhere when blasting, but the noise from the crusher and the roaring trucks also causes people to lose sleep and loss of appetite.
Living right at the foot of a quarry less than 200m, Mr. Vang Pha Lam (ma Tuyen village) was upset: "Every time the quarry blasts or produces, dust flies up the sky, following the wind to the houses of our people". According to Mr. Lam, people around the area have petitioned the unit to water them regularly to limit dust, but they are not at a loss.
In mid-September 2025, according to Lao Dong reporters, the above-mentioned mine area was not only dusty and noisy, but also the shaking from the blasting made people feel insecure. Mr. Vang Chan Din (Sa Pa village) said: "The house shakes violently every time they blast. The tight cracks on the walls have significantly affected the life of the house. Waiting until the mine stopped operating, the houses of the people here were probably all damaged. My family is always scared, but when I complain, no one understands.
Some other households said that the cracked houses lead to the risk of rapid deterioration. It is worth mentioning that after the authorities went to inspect, the people have not yet received any response.
Repeated petitions but pollution still recurs
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Hung Phat quarry was granted an exploitation license by Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee in 2010, extended to 2021, with the operation period until July 2027. The exploitation area is 2.56ha, with a volume of 30,000m3/year.
During the meetings with voters, people in Muong Khuong commune have repeatedly reported the situation of dust, noise, and vibrations from the mine's exploitation activities. Muong Khuong Commune People's Committee confirmed that it has received many complaints from the people.
Mr. Nguyen Hong Hung - Chairman of the Commune People's Committee - said: "It is not clear how the Department of Natural Resources granted licenses in the past to the road. We have inspected and not allowed the unit to exploit in the area next to the road to avoid affecting people's travel. In addition, the locality has reminded the mining unit to water to reduce dust and comply with safety regulations".
According to the Chairman of Muong Khuong Commune People's Committee, the mines have an operating period until 2027 and have submitted a request for an extension and expansion of the scope of operations.
"The local viewpoint is not to agree to extend and not to expand the scope. Because according to Circular 20 of the Government, the distance from the mine to the residential area must be at least 200m. In the coming time, we will work with departments and branches, the Economic Zone Management Board on this and propose to the province, but whether or not to approve it depends on the province" - Mr. Nguyen Hong Hung said.
According to this chairman, Muong Khuong commune will soon create a land fund and build a high school there. Therefore, the locality did not extend the deadline and will request the mine to be closed.
According to households, the problem is not whether the quarry is licensed for exploitation or not, but the method of exploitation must ensure safety and minimize the impact on surrounding life. Faced with this situation, local public opinion believes that authorities need to take stronger measures. Along with that, it is necessary to regularly water for dusty water, adjust the blasting time appropriately, reduce the frequency of exploitation and support the repair of damaged houses for people.
