Bustling illegal wharfs along the river
At the end of January, Giao thong Newspaper reporters traveled along the Ka Long River from the center of Mong Cai City (Quang Ninh) down to Hai Xuan Commune and noted that there were many bustling material gathering yards along the riverbank. Through investigation, these yards were all operating without a license.
Illegal wharf and yard in Hai Xuan commune, Mong Cai city is bustling with vehicles coming and going.
A few kilometers from the Mong Cai City People's Committee headquarters, a small illegal wharf located on the Ka Long River bank along Huu Nghi Road in Hamlet 10A, Hai Xuan Commune, has a cement ship moored alongside. On the shore is a pile of construction materials, next to it is a small excavator.
A young man saw a stranger entering the yard and ran out to ask. When he heard the Giao thong Newspaper reporter say he was looking to buy construction materials to build a house, this man enthusiastically said: "You guys just go through the gate of Xuan Lan pagoda and you will reach a place that sells a lot of materials. But here, there is little sand, stone, and gravel because it is mainly used to gather cement."
A cement ship docked at an illegal wharf in village 18A, Hai Xuan commune, waiting to load goods.
It is true that going down to the center of Hai Xuan commune, passing the gate of Xuan Lan pagoda about another kilometer, you will reach an area with many construction material gathering yards with many cars and excavators loading and unloading.
Through observations by Giao thong Newspaper reporters, the material gathering sites here are located in village 5, Hai Xuan commune, on the banks of Cua Chua river, a small branch of Ka Long river. Here, there are up to thousands of cubic meters of construction materials gathered on the embankments jutting out into the river.
The illegal wharf in village 5, Hai Xuan commune operates openly not far from the commune People's Committee headquarters.
Here, excavators are loading sand onto small waiting trucks. Due to the lack of measures to prevent rainwater, materials from these docks are washed down the river, creating small mounds under the water, affecting watercraft.
A few hundred meters from the construction material wharf, there is land leveling and solid waste and household waste dumping, causing a strong stench. Because this riverbank area is gently sloping, tens of cubic meters of waste piled up on the riverbank are at risk of being washed into the water, causing sedimentation and environmental pollution...
Mr. H (living in village 7, Hai Xuan commune) was upset: "The waste dumping area is only a short distance from my house. On sunny days, the dust is thick, and the smell of waste is carried by the wind from the riverbank into the residential area, affecting people's health. People have repeatedly petitioned the competent authorities to direct the dumping site owner to implement environmental protection measures, but nothing has changed."
An illegal landfill is leveling, renovating and dumping waste, threatening to affect the Cua Chua River and pollute the environment.
Local authorities ignore or are helpless?
Speaking to Giao Thong Newspaper reporters over the phone, Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Vice Chairman of Hai Xuan Commune People's Committee confirmed that there are currently many illegal wharves that have been operating for a long time on Ka Long River, a branch of Cua Chua River.
Due to lack of licenses, environmental protection measures are not effectively implemented at these ports, affecting waterways and people's lives.
"However, it is very difficult to handle these illegal wharfs," Mr. Cuong said, citing the reason that currently, the demand for construction materials for houses and works of the people in the commune in particular and the city in general is very large. However, the locality lacks convenient wharfs and material gathering places.
"Therefore, even though there is no license, for now, the local government still allows these wharves and yards to operate to serve the construction material needs of organizations and individuals in the area," said Mr. Cuong.
Another reason given by the leaders of Hai Xuan commune is that the planning of the port and wharf system in the area has not yet been approved by the competent authority. Therefore, it is necessary to wait for a specific planning to completely handle the current situation of illegal wharves and yards.
Every day, hundreds of cubic meters of construction materials from illegal yards in Hai Xuan commune are transported for consumption.
Regarding waste collection activities in the area adjacent to residential areas in village 7, Mr. Cuong said he will continue to inspect and require the site owner to clear the waste and take measures to ensure the environment.
Speaking to reporters of Giao thong Newspaper, the leader of a specialized agency of Mong Cai City said that by the end of 2023, there will still be 4 illegal sand and gravel gathering places in the area: Manh Tung wharf belonging to Manh Tung Company Limited; Thanh Ngoc wharf belonging to Thanh Ngoc Company Limited; Nguyen Men wharf belonging to Nguyen Men Company Limited and Vinh Ngan wharf belonging to Vinh Ngan Company Limited.
The illegal wharf in Hai Xuan commune is designed to extend out into the river, affecting traffic flow.
Through the review and inspection process, the City People's Committee has directed localities to propagate and require businesses to sign commitments not to gather construction materials and complete legal procedures to clear the wharves according to regulations.
"The responsibility for managing illegal wharves and yards as they are currently is under the authority of local authorities. In the future, the unit will coordinate to inspect and handle violations related to these illegal wharves and yards," the leader of the specialized agency of Mong Cai City affirmed.
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