The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lam Dong Province in Vietnam’s Central Highlands on Friday proposed the Criminal Investigation Office under the Ministry of National Defense launch an investigation into a deforestation case to facilitate a major road project.

Initial verification by the department showed that the building of the Truong Son Dong Road leading to the Bidoup - Nui Ba National Park had led to the destruction of more than 13.5 hectares of forest in Dung K’No Commune, Lac Duong District.

The affected area used to be a broad-leaved forest and a mixed timber - bambusa balcooa forest with a total volume of more than 502 cubic meter of wood and 25,272 bambusa balcooa trees.

All forestry products damaged were either buried or left by mountain cliffs, according to the provincial agriculture department.

There was no signs of illegal exploitation of forest products along the route.

Many working sessions and meetings by relevant departments and agencies in Lam Dong came to a conclusion that the construction has caused damage to the forests while its investor has yet to obtain approval from the competent authorities to adjust the use purpose of the affected areas. 

Such act went against the law and even showed signs of forest destruction as an investor must obtain approval for converting the use purpose of a forest area before starting construction.

Therefore, the provincial agriculture department proposed the Criminal Investigation Office of the Ministry of National Defense launch an investigation into the case.

Previously, construction on another section of the road project passing through Chu Yang Sin National Park in the neighboring Dak Lak Province was suspended after the construction unit had been found to bulldoze nearly 16 hectares of forest without permission.

With a total investment of VND10 trillion (US$437.1 million), the Truong Son Dong Road project was commenced in 2007 and expected to stretch 657 kilometers through seven central and Central Highlands provinces of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Phu Yen, Dak Lak and Lam Dong.

Approximately 540 kilometers of the road has been completed, connecting the five provinces of Quang Ngai, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Phu Yen and Dak Lak. 

The remaining unfinished sections are located in Quang Nam, Dak Lak and Lam Dong.

The investor of the project is the General Staff Department under the Ministry of National Defense while the Project Management Unit 46 is its representative.

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