Dinh mountain, which is also known as Con Voi mountain and is located in Vinh Phuc Province, northern Vietnam, has been horribly excavated and leveled for the construction of villas and mansions, stirring up the public.

At the beginning of October, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper received more readers’ accounts of the destruction of Dinh mountain and the occupation of forest there, which the press had denounced for many years.

Following that, Tuoi Tre reporters made a visit to the mountain.

Villas and mansions are seen on the destroyed Dinh mountain in Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The areas where parts of the mountain have been torn down now are home to many villas and mansions that span thousands of square meters.

The paths to these villas and mansions are often carefully guarded, with strangers not welcomed.

An aerial view of the destroyed Dinh mountain in Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Dinh mountain is located in an area of 140 hectares of forest land that was assigned by the People’s Committee of Vinh Phuc to Kim Long Co. Ltd. to carry out a project growing sugar cane and fruit trees in 1995.

Authorities in Vinh Yen City, Tam Duong District, and Binh Xuyen District administer different section of the mountain.

A villa is seen on the destroyed Dinh mountain in Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

In 2018, the committee revoked more than 125 hectares of the forest land allocated to the project over deforestation violations.

In April 2019, Vinh Phuc inspectors pointed out the responsibilities of officials of the People’s Committee of Vinh Yen City and the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment in the case.

An excavator works on a flank of the destroyed Dinh mountain in Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

In August 2020, a working group of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment initially determined that tens of hectares of forest land on the mountain had been destroyed.

In May 2021, then Standing Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, who has retired, asked Vinh Phuc authorities submit a report on the case to the Prime Minister before July 31 that year.

Villas and mansions are seen on the destroyed Dinh mountain in Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

In May, a landslide struck Dinh mountain, causing three deaths and one injury in Kim Long Commune, Tam Duong District.

On October 12, Tuoi Tre reached out to Le Duy Thanh, chairman of Vinh Phuc Province, regarding the destructive situation, but was then asked to contact Phan The Huy, chief of the office of the provincial People’s Committee.

An aerial view of the destroyed Dinh mountain in Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Two days later, Vu Chi Giang, deputy chairman of the province, required the provincial information and communications department to review the issue and respond to Tuoi Tre’s request.

It was not until Friday afternoon that an official of the department told Tuoi Tre via a phone call that it cannot provide the newspaper with any information as police investigation is underway.

A football field is established on the destroyed Dinh mountain in Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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