Authorities in the northern province of Lao Cai have fined a Chinese construction company for illegally planting two types of exotic plants along a local expressway span it has been contracted to build.

Huang Yong, director of the company, is being held responsible for bringing the foreign seedlings, Bermuda grass seeds and pigeon peas, into the country without obtaining local certification and authorization, and is required to pay VND8.2 million (US$390) for this rule violation.

The Lao Cai agriculture department has demanded Huang cooperate with local plant protection agencies to carry out compulsory plant checking procedures and track the development of the plants from now on.

The builder previously grew the plants on the banks of the expressway section despite not having permission from local competent authorities.

The company claimed it had sought approval from a construction supervisory group before growing them.

The developer of the span then asked Huang’s firm to stop cultivating them, and explained that both the contractor and supervisory body failed to study local laws on this planting.

The road section is part of an expressway connecting Hanoi to Lao Cai, northwest of the capital city.