Provincial-level Natural Resources and Environment Departments would have to complete the zoning off of river areas where the exploitation of sand, gravel and other minerals would be banned or suspended in the next five years.
According to a draft circular prepared by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, river areas where sand, gravel and other mineral exploitation is banned would be those prone to landslides which may directly affect the stability and safety of river banks, threaten the safety of water source protection corridors and waterway navigation works, dikes, water supply and drainage systems, observatory stations, and other infrastructure facilities, and badly impact urban areas, residential areas, civil works and areas with unstable terrain.
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| Exploiting construction sand on Vam Co Dong river, Chau Thanh district, Tay Ninh province __Photo: Thanh Tan/VNA |
Meanwhile, river areas where the sand, gravel and other mineral exploitation is suspended include landslide-prone areas, areas subject to requirements of prevention, combat and remediation of consequences of natural disasters, and areas where landslides frequently occur or in high danger of landslide in river beds or river banks.
The list of areas where the sand, gravel and other mineral exploitation are banned or suspended would be made public in the mass media, informed to district-level People’s Committees, and posted up in the offices of commune, ward or township People’s Committees by the provincial-level Departments of Natural Resources and Environment.
The future regulation also tightens the management of embankment, river training and landscape improvement projects along rivers.
Specifically, these projects would have to comply with the approved master plans and plans on riverside areas and regulations on corridors for protection of construction works related to religions or beliefs and of high biodiversity value; preservation of local cultural values; protection and development of natural eco-systems; national defense and security maintenance; and water source protection corridors and other construction works.
The draft circular is now available for public comment at www.monre.gov.vn.- (VLLF)
