Inspectors in the southern province of Kien Giang have revealed various violations in land management by the leaders of Phu Quoc Island District.

Forest land in An Thoi Town is encroached.

On June 17, 2015, the prime minister adjusted Decision 633 over the general planning for Phu Quoc Island to reduce the total protected forest land to 6,666 hectares by 2030.

From 2010 to 2016, nearly 4,602 hectares of forest land was allocated to the authorities of Cua Can, Ham Ninh, Cua Duong and Duong To communes.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is accused of giving wrong advice to Kien Giang People's Committee, not making the cadastral map and carrying out inspections.

An Thoi Town was supposed to receive 349 hectares but received over 665 hectares. Duong To Commune should have been allocated 2,298 hectares according to the decision but in reality, they only received 1,214 hectares.

Phu Quoc Forest Management Board do not have a detailed record on how much land that is empty, has been allocated to the locals or illegally built upon. They also do not know how many households have encroached upon or been allocated forest land. The town and communal authorities failed to follow procedures when allocating forest land.

The inspectors concluded that the authorities of Phu Quoc Island failed in managing and monitoring the land as well as local agencies and communal people's committees. They also violated the Land Law when not reporting the cadastral map to higher management.

Despite various wrongdoings, the inspectors only proposed to reprimand the involved officials and not punish deputy head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Duy Linh because he is severely ill and former chairman of Ham Ninh Commune People's Committee Tran Thai Binh because he retired.

dtinews