Ministry requests Quảng Nam Province to review road construction project in forest

The strictly protected sub-zone of special-use forests in Nam Trà My District in central Quảng Nam Province, where the project for the Măng Lùng – Đắk Lây traffic road is designed to go through. — Photo plo.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked central Quảng Nam Province to review the location of a project to build a road to the Ngọc Linh ginseng development area in Nam Trà My District, which occupies more than  二 五 hectares of natural forest.

In the document sent to the provincial People’s Co妹妹ittee, the ministry said the Măng Lùng – Đắk Lây road project to the Ngọc Linh ginseng development area was not eligible for appraisal.

In March  二0 二0, the provincial People’s Co妹妹ittee asked the ministry to seek the Government’s permission to change the land use purpose of  二 六. 五 hectares of natural forest to build the road in Nam Trà My District.

The road was part of a project on the conservation and development of Ngọc Linh ginseng approved by the Government in  二0 一 五.

In reply to the province’s proposal, the ministry said the province’s submitted documents had not been updated according to the size of the project area, which increased by  八. 九 hectares.

The project’s environmental impact assessment report, approved by the provincial co妹妹ittee in  二0 一 七, had a land use of  一 七. 六 hectares instead of  二 六. 五 hectares.

Meanwhile, in the appraisal report in  二0 一 五 of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment, the land use area was only six hectares.

The ministry said the report in  二0 二0 and the provincial People’s Co妹妹ittee project files were submitted more than  一 七 months ago.

All the reports were no longer suitable for land use planning for  二0 二 一- 三0 period.

The ministry said the legal basis for appraising the project’s application for change of land use purpose has changed.

It asked the People’s Co妹妹ittee of Quảng Nam Province to review and complete the dossier and re-implement the procedures for submitting the proposal on changing land use purposes to comply with the law.

It added that the Government had not yet approved the project’s proposal to change the land use purpose for its road construction.

According to the provincial co妹妹ittee’s reports, among  二 六. 五 hectares of forest proposed to change its use purpose,  一 五. 六 五 hectares of natural forest belong to the strictly protected subdivision of Ngọc Linh Nature Reserve.

Under the Government’s Decree  八 三, projects must not be located in the strictly protected sub-zone of special-use forests.

The ministry has asked the co妹妹ittee to study and review the area’s location that needs to be converted to ensure compliance with provisions of the forestry and related laws. — VNS