Mất 37.5 hectares of Forest at the Largest Golf Course in Lam Dong, Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Calls for Project Inspection
Caption: The Dàlat At 1200 Golf Course
Recently, the Standing Committee of the Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee instructed the Provincial People’s Committee to direct the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to collaborate with the Provincial Inspectorate, relevant departments, and units to inspect the golf course project “The Dàlat At 1200” by Acteam International Co. Ltd.
If any violations are detected, strict actions will be taken and a report will be submitted to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee before April 15, 2024.
Located in Don Duong District, the project covers an area of over 750 hectares of land and water, with an investment of tens of millions of USD. It has been in operation since 2018.
Caption: The largest golf course in Lam Dong
Prior to this, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a meeting to consider the handling of the forest area lost during the implementation of the project by Acteam International Co. Ltd in Don Duong District. The meeting was attended by the Provincial Party Committee’s Internal Affairs Board, the Provincial People’s Procuracy, the Provincial Police, and the Forest Protection Department to reach a consensus on the handling direction.
According to the comparison of the forest status between two inventories (in 2007 and 2022), the forest area has decreased by more than 43.2 hectares, including over 38.2 hectares of natural forest, over 3.4 hectares of budget-funded planted forest, over 0.45 hectares of scattered empty land, and over 1.1 hectares of forest without a stock.
Among them, 2.7 hectares of lost forest have been handled, while over 2.9 hectares of reduced forest area have been proposed not to be processed. The remaining lost forest area amounts to more than 37.5 hectares, including over 7.1 hectares of land with a change in land use purpose and over 30.4 hectares of forest land under forest protection management (including over 18.7 hectares of non-forestry land, over 11.5 hectares of protective forest, and over 0.13 hectares of production forest).
The functional authorities have determined that Acteam International Co. Ltd has directly cleared the forest to build infrastructure for the project. Within the lost forest area, 11.5 hectares are protective forests (over 30 times the administrative fine for violations), and the forest loss occurred around 2017.
This case demonstrates signs of forest destruction as prescribed in Article 243 of the Criminal Law 2015 (amended and supplemented in 2017). However, the reduced forest area has existed for a long time, and the basis for criminal prosecution is not yet firm. It is also related to a large investment project in the province. Therefore, the functional authorities need to supplement the forest status dossier before transferring it to the enterprise and the forest resource handover procedures.
Acteam International Co. Ltd has admitted to deficiencies in not following the forest land use change procedures for an area of over 7.1 hectares. Regarding the 30.4 hectares classified under forest protection, the company requests the functional authorities to re-examine the forest resource inventory before the handover in 2008.
Given the situation, the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed that the Provincial People’s Committee assign the Provincial Inspectorate to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the project. After the inspection, recommendations and proposals will be made to ensure that no criminal offenses are overlooked while ensuring the business investment activities.
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