On March 26, 2024, the Working Group of the Dien Bien Dong District Forest Protection Department coordinated with the Keo Lom Commune authorities to patrol and inspect the forest in the Hang Lia village area (Keo Lom Commune). During the inspection, the authorities discovered 8 locations of illegal deforestation in the protected forest land planning area, in sub-area 771. Of which, 05 cases of deforestation were assigned to the Hang Lia village community for management and protection; 03 cases of deforestation were not assigned or leased and were managed by the Commune People's Committee.
Through the results of inspection and verification at the scene of the violations, the Forest Protection Department's Working Group discovered 01 case of deforestation of protective forests, with an area of 3,678m², exceeding the level of administrative violation handling. The subject involved was Mr. Giàng A Pó (born in 1976) in Hang Lia village. The authorities have prepared initial field inspection records for the deforestation case caused by Mr. Pó. By May 7, 2024, the Interdisciplinary Working Group including: Forest Protection Department, District Police, District People's Procuracy, Keo Lom Commune People's Committee conducted a crime scene investigation, collected evidence, and related documents and records. On that basis, the District Forest Protection Department determined that there were sufficient elements constituting the crime of "Forest Destruction" for the illegal deforestation case caused by Mr. Giàng A Pó according to the provisions of Article 243 of the Penal Code.
Similarly, on April 29, 2024, a large-scale forest fire occurred in the Na Hay village forest, Tia Dinh commune, which was part of the protection forest planning. The cause of the forest fire was that Mr. Lo Van Then, Na Hay village (Tia Dinh commune) went to burn land, causing the fire to spread into the protection forest, which is a natural forest. Immediately after receiving the report, the District Forest Protection Department verified the source of the information and carried out the procedures for receiving and handling crime reports according to the provisions of law. From the records, documents, and evidence related to the forest fire, the District Forest Protection Department determined that there were sufficient elements constituting the crime of "Forest Destruction" for the forest fire caused by Mr. Then.
The Dien Bien Dong District Forest Protection Department recommended both cases to the district's prosecution agencies for consideration and agreement so that the Forest Protection Department could decide to prosecute the criminal case of "Forest Destruction" according to regulations. At the same time, all related files, documents, and evidence were transferred to the Investigation Police Agency (Dien Bien Dong District Police) for further investigation and handling according to the provisions of law. These are 2 out of 37 forestry violations that have occurred in the district since the beginning of the year. Specifically, there were 34 cases of illegal deforestation, with a total area of 101,964.37m2 of destroyed forest; 01 forest fire (the burned forest area was 4.02ha); 01 case of illegal forest exploitation and 01 case of illegal storage of timber products. Compared to the same period in 2023, the total number of violations in the forestry sector in Dien Bien Dong district increased by 26 cases (11 violations occurred in the first 9 months of 2023).
Regarding the results of handling the cases, Mr. Lo Van Tiem, Deputy Head of the Dien Bien Dong District Forest Protection Department, said: Dien Bien Dong is a mountainous district with a total natural area of over 120,686 hectares; of which the natural forest area is 31,937.97 hectares, planted forest is 159.67 hectares and 7.45 hectares of planted forest has not yet become forest. In the past, the work of forest management and protection in the area has also encountered many difficulties because the economic life of the people depends heavily on the practice of farming on the fields, while the awareness of forest protection of a part of the people is not high... Therefore, there are still cases of deforestation, illegal exploitation of forests, encroachment on forest land for production land, and improper handling of vegetation burning, which poses a risk of fire spreading into the forest, degrading forest resources and the ecological environment. Faced with that reality, the District Forest Protection Department has coordinated with relevant agencies and local authorities to resolutely handle violations of the Forestry Law. Since the beginning of the year, the District Forest Protection Department has established records, issued and advised on administrative sanctions against violators in 37/37 cases. Of which, 03 cases of deforestation are under the jurisdiction of the District People's Committee; 02 cases have been prosecuted and transferred to the Procuracy, the police investigation agency and 32 cases are under the jurisdiction of the Head of the Forest Protection Department. Through handling the cases, the unit has imposed fines and collected over 180 million VND to the State budget.
The Deputy Head of the Dien Bien Dong District Forest Protection Department also emphasized that, especially since the establishment of the district until now, there has only been 1 forest fire and 1 deforestation case that occurred in 2024, which was decided to be prosecuted for the crime of "Forest Destruction" in the area. Although it is not desirable for that to happen, the district forest protection force, functional agencies, and Party committees and authorities at all levels also need to resolutely handle it in order to create deterrence and prevent early violations in the forestry sector in the area...
Bringing violators of the law in the forestry sector to trial also plays an important role in deterring individuals who commit violations; at the same time, educating, propagating, and raising awareness of the law on forest protection in the community and people right from the grassroots. From that, it can be affirmed that, in addition to the proactiveness and determination of functional agencies, Party committees, and authorities at all levels, the decisive handling of violations of the Forestry Law not only ensures the strictness of the law, but also helps to raise awareness and responsibility of the people so that the work of forest management, protection, and forest product management is highly effective.
Source: https://baodienbienphu.com.vn/tin-tuc/quan-ly-bao-ve-rung/218645/kien-quyet-xu-ly-vi-pham-dam-bao-su-nghiem-minh-cua-phap-luat
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