VietNamNet Bridge - The riverbed is becoming wider, while houses on the two banks are about to fall into the river due to serious erosion. Illegal sand exploitation has spoiled the environment, caused landslides, changing the current, and threatening waterway transport.

“In the past, Sai Gon River was full of shrimp and fish, while the tide went in and out peacefully. Now, the water turns muddy. In many places, houses and gardens have been swept away by the ‘river god’,” said Ba, a fisherman living near Binh Phuoc Bridge in Thu Duc district, neighboring Binh Duong province.

“We don’t know where we will go to settle down,” he said, sighing.

Ba pointed at the dilapidated houses with foundations nearly broken, just 200 meters  away from Binh Phuoc Bridge. The river water has swallowed up the concrete road, while many houses have become empty, left deserted in the shabby land.

Beyond the river bank in Hiep Binh Phuoc Ward is An Phu Dong Ward of District 12. The water has reached close to the residential road. For fear of losing land, many households have spent big money to put wooden stakes to prevent erosion. But their efforts were in vain.

In late 2016, farmers in Hiep Binh Phuoc weeped as they did not have apricot trees to sell for Tet holiday. As the tide-resistant embankment broke, thousands of apricot trees were submerged under water. 

Sau, a local man, said the river has become more aggressive because of several reasons. “However, as native residents, we believe that it is illegal sand exploitation which is the major reason,” he said.

The riverbed is becoming wider, while houses on the two banks are about to fall into the river due to serious erosion. Illegal sand exploitation has spoiled the environment, caused landslides, changing the current, and threatening waterway transport

H, a young man in Long Phuoc Ward in District 9, also thinks that massive sand exploitation has led to the elimination of tens of hectares of land.

“Only if the local authorities take drastic measures to fight against illegal sand exploiters will the land be saved,” he said.

The area in District 9 of HCMC, neighboring Dong Nai province, is favored by illegal sand exploiters. The sand there has high quality which can be sold easily. A report showed that 40 hectares of land had disappeared after a short period of sand exploitation.

Responding to the people’s complaints, a task force with the traffic police agency was sent to the site to prevent illegal exploitation. The team, in cooperation with the waterways police and borderland security, successfully drove illegal sand exploiters away.

However, locals fear that the illegal exploiters will return after the task force leaves, because profit from sand exploitation is too attractive.

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Thanh Lich