Directive 03/1999/CT-TTg

The Prime Minister directs the following:

The People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall examine the real situation of river bed- sand and gravel exploitation; suspend for handling unlawful sand and gravel survey, exploration and exploitation activities; and at the same time, immediately withdraw sand and gravel exploitation permits which have been granted for exploitation in the areas where reports on geological survey and assessment of environmental impacts on water flows, dikes and environment have not been ratified yet by the competent agencies.

The Ministry of Industry shall coordinate with the People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities in directing the planning of the survey, exploration, exploitation and use of river-bed sand and gravel resources. The Ministry of Industry shall assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the Ministry of Communications and Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment in organizing the evaluation and ratification of such planning.

The granting of permits for river bed- sand and gravel survey, exploration and exploitation must comply with the provisions of law on the basis of the master plan already ratified by the competent agencies. The sand and gravel survey, exploration and/or exploitation activities in the areas where defense projects are located or in military zones must be approved by the Ministry of Defense before the permit granting.

The Ministry of Industry shall provide guidance for the People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities to reorganize the licensing activities, manage individuals and family households that exploit river-bed sand and gravel; and specify the planning as well as the survey, exploration and exploitation of river-bed sand and gravel in areas bordering two or more provinces.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport shall assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment and the People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities in directing the elaboration, evaluation and ratification of the master plan as well as plans on dredging harbors, widening canals and regulating water flows for dike protection, with the projected volume of sand and gravel to be recovered therefrom. The Ministry of Communications and Transport shall grant permits for the dredging of harbors and river beds only when the dredging planning and plans have been approved, the report on the assessment of environmental impacts caused by dredging activities have been evaluated and ratified by the competent agencies and when there�s a written consent on matters related to the State management responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment and the People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities where the dredging projects are carried out. If a project on dredging and full extraction of sand and gravel is carried out in only one province, the extraction volume must be registered at the provincial Industrial Department; if the project is located in an inter-provincial area, the extraction volume must be registered at the Geological and Mineral Department of the Ministry of Industry and the concerned Industrial Departments.- (Summary)