Dien Bien prosecutes deforestation cases in Muong Nhe

  Dien Bien (VNA) – The northern mountainous province of Dien Bien has arrested 56 suspects since early March and commenced criminal proceedings against 15 cases of destroying 18.6 hectares of forest in Muong Nhe district, a hotspot of illegal deforestation and migration.

According to law, those who destroy 3,000sq.m or more of forests can be prosecuted.

From October 2015 to December 2016, the province detected 186 deforestation cases, damaging 175 hectares of forest, including nearly 87 hectares of protective forest. 

Colonel La Dang Chien, head of the provincial police’s staff department, said drastic measures are being taken to implement Directive 13 of the Party Central Committee Secretary and Plan 420 dated February 22 of the provincial People’s Committee on addressing deforestation and unplanned migration in Muong Nhe.

A conference was held in the district on February 27-28 with the participation of local village chiefs and communal officials to deploy forest protection measures.

The province has also set up a steering committee and sent seven working groups with nearly 500 provincial officials and solders of the armed forces to handle deforestation in hotspot areas.-VNA