Sand overexploitation likely causes landslides, cracks on houses

BÀ RỊA VŨNG TÀU – Authorised agencies in southern Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province have strengthened inspection to determine whether sand overexploitation by a local business was causing cracks on the houses of local residents.

These residents were living along the Dinh River in Vũng Tàu City.

Võ Văn Hùng, head of Vũng Tàu Port Authority’s Legislation Unit, said on Monday the unit was working with the People’s Committee of Ward 12 to investigate residents’ complaints of illegal sand exploitation through the night by Việt Lâm Construction Services Co. Ltd.

Previously, more than 50 households in the city’s Ward 12 sent petitions to local authorities and relevant agencies blaming the company’s sand overexploitation for the landslides, leading to large cracks developing on their houses.

They alleged that the company conducted sand exploitation between midnight and 4.30am on the Dinh River despite it was allowed to do the job only in the daytime. 

The company, meanwhile, claimed it only conducted the job in the day. It even committed to taking legal responsibility if it was found to violate the law.

Nguyễn Thế Cường, vice chairman of the People’s Committee of Ward 12, said the committee had reported the case to the city’s authority.

The committee’s Office of Natural Resources and Environment and the local police were assigned to supervise the company’s sand exploitation.

A representative of the provincial Police Department said the police last week found two vessels illegally exploiting sand this month and they failed to present the required legal papers. 

The police also said it would tighten control over sand exploitation activities in the river.  – VNS