Information from the People's Committee of Vinh Linh district said that the locality has just issued a decision to administratively sanction a business and an individual related to the illegal leveling of natural forests when constructing the road connecting the East branch with the West branch of Ho Chi Minh road passing through Vinh O commune.

The scene of many natural forest trees being illegally leveled to build the road connecting the East branch with the West branch of Ho Chi Minh road - Photo: TN

Specifically, the Chairman of Vinh Linh District People's Committee decided to administratively fine Truong Danh Joint Stock Company (headquartered in Gio Linh District) VND 4 million for violating regulations on changing forest use purposes for 66 ^square meters of protective forest.

In addition, administratively sanction Mr. Nguyen Van Thu (born in 1983, residing in Gio My commune, Gio Linh district) for illegal deforestation with a fine of 30 million VND; apply an additional fine of 32 million VND equivalent to the value of a bulldozer used as a means of administrative violation; force Mr. Nguyen Van Thu to replant the forest until it becomes a forest according to the investment rate applied locally at the time of the administrative violation for an area of ​​1,032 ^m2 .

As reported by Quang Tri newspaper, on April 8, Vinh Linh District Forest Protection Department received information from the Ben Hai River Basin Protection Forest Management Board that Truong Danh Joint Stock Company, one of the construction units of the road connecting the East branch of Ho Chi Minh Road with the West branch of Ho Chi Minh Road passing through Vinh O commune, had illegally leveled 1,098 ^{m2 of} natural forest at Lot 21, Section 10, Sub-area 580, Vinh O commune, Vinh Linh district, under the forest area managed by the unit. Of which, the area outside the road design boundary is 1,032 ^m2 , the area within the boundary is only 66 ^m2 .

Afterwards, Vinh Linh District Forest Protection Department coordinated with the forest owner and local authorities to inspect the scene, draw up a record of the violation and requested Truong Danh Joint Stock Company to temporarily stop construction, keep the scene intact to report to the authorities for handling.

It is known that the route connecting the East branch with the West branch of Ho Chi Minh road passing through Vinh O commune has a total length of 11 km, the total forest area that needs to change its purpose of use is 16.7615 ha, of which natural forest is 0.9559 ha, planted forest is 15.8056 ha.

The project has been under construction since 2023, but some sections passing through natural forests have not yet been constructed because the investor has not completed the procedures for converting forest use purposes.

Truong Nguyen