"Locals protest against titanium mining in Binh Dinh", 14 June 2017
For many days now, people living in My An and My Tho communes of Phu My District have been preventing Hoang Dat Co from exploiting the titanium in the region fearing water pollution.
Dang Ngoc Thai, head of Xuan Phuong village of My An Commune, said...a vast casuarina forest covered the region.
“However, since 2006, when the company was allowed to exploit titanium in the region, they have chopped down hectares of the forest. The trucks carrying titanium ores are a constant source of pollution,” he said.
Thai also added that the wells in the village had run dry, forcing residents to spend a hefty sum of money to dig new wells.
According to Tuoi tre (Youth) newspaper’s findings...Binh Dinh Province People’s Committee decided to allow the Biotan mining company to exploit titanium on 18ha of land in My An Commune, a move protested by local residents.
In 2011 April, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development granted permission to Binh Dinh Mining and Trade JSC (Hoang Dat Mining JSC) to mine for titanium over a 180ha area for 14 years.
“However, over the past six years, the operations have not gone smoothly due to serious criticisms from residents,” Ho Manh Cuong, deputy head of Phu My Commune environment authorities, said.
Do Ngoc Dung, a representative for the Hoang Dat JSC, said the company had done all the required procedures to get permissions for mining..., including the land rent payment.
“The province’s decision to halt mining activities is not due to the company’s fault, but due to the residents’ protests. The prolonged project has caused significant losses for us...,” Dung said.
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