Illegal sand exploitation along Lang Co Bay in central Thua Thien – Hue Province has caused environmental degradation to the area and the bay, according to vietnamnews.com.
Dredging of the sand along the coast from Loc Vinh Commune to Lang Co Town has increased dramatically.
In Phu Hai 1 Hamlet in Loc Vinh Commune trees have been cut down and several paths into previously untouched forests were made.
In Lang Co Town several construction companies used excavators to exploit sand in areas along Lang Co Bay’s beach destroying some parts of the forest. Thousands of cubic metres of sand and soil have been dug out illegally and taken for construction purposes.
The beaches at Mui Doi, Lap An Lagoon and the Tho Son area in Loc Tien Commune have also been damaged by the same activities.
Local authorities have not yet found a suitable solution to the problem. In Loc Vinh Commune the local authorities had assigned officials in Phu Hai 2 Hamlet to manage the local chestnut forest.
Several watchtowers were set up to observe any illegal activity, but were destroyed by the storms last year.
Most of the illegal sand exploitation works happen at night or during weekends when local authorities are not working so it is difficult to stop these activities.
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Dredging Today Staff, April 2, 2012;