VietNamNet Bridge – Illegal gold exploitation along the Ky Cung River and some other streams in Loc Binh and Trang Dinh districts, northern border Lang Son Province, has affected the environment and local public security.

Nguyen The Anh, deputy head of the Lang Son Environment Police Department, said about 100 canoes were in operation every day along the Ky Cung River.

The stretch of river along Trang Dinh District's Khang Chien Commune was scattered with rock and gravel left by gold prospectors, leaving the river bed dry and the banks collapsed, he said.

In the first week of this month alone, the environment police caught 32 canoe owners in the act of prospecting for gold, and issued fines worth nearly VND40 million (US$2,000), said Anh.

Meanwhile in Loc Binh District, from morning until 5pm hundreds of people sift for gold along the Long River.

Head of the Loc Binh Natural Resources and Environment Le Thi Thu said no enterprise in the district was issued with permit of exploiting gold.

Policeman The Anh said that although the provincial police went patrol in different district regularly to punish violators and confiscate their equipment, they were still ready to repeat their violation.

If the police checked in this commune, the illegal gold exploiters went to another commune to continue their work, he said.

"We need co-ordination from communes' authorities," said Anh.

The provincial police will soon have a meeting with commune people's committees and police, in which assign commissions to the offices.

If provincial police detected any illegal gold exploiters in the commune, local chairman of commune people's committee and head of the police would be blamed, said Anh.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News