Environment official arrested in Bac Kan province

Nong Duc Di, deputy director of Bac Kan province’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, has been accused of being involved in a series of companies that falsified environmental impact assessment reports.

Di, 50, was arrested by Phu Tho province’s police on Wednesday.

In the same case, from early May to June, Phu Tho police have launched legal proceedings against multiple corporate leaders for falsifying environmental impact assessment reports.

They include Nguyen Thi Quynh, director of TQB Phu Tho Company Limited; Bui Trung Quan, director of Setech Environment Company Limited (Hanoi); Nguyen Van Tan and Do Trung Duc, board chairman and director of Lien Minh Environment and Construction JSC (Hanoi); Tran Minh Tuan, director of G&T Phu Tho Company Limited; Nguyen Tran Manh, director of Truong Thanh Services and Development JSC (Hanoi); the director of LT Environmental Company (Hanoi); and Dinh Thi Dieu Linh, an employee of EJC Joint Stock Company- Phu Tho branch.

Legal proceedings were also initiated against three officials: Ngo Thi Mai, deputy director of the environmental protection division under the Phu Tho Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Trieu Quy Hoi, deputy head of the general planning division under the Phu Tho department's Center for Environmental Monitoring and Protection; and Nguyen Manh Ha, deputy head of the environment division under the Bac Kan Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

They are being investigated for falsifying documents for agencies and organizations, forgery, and giving and receiving bribes.

The investigation agency determined that even though the above companies did not have equipment or human resources specialized in environment consulting, they still provided the service and drew up hundreds of environmental impact assessment reports for projects across the country, earning tens of billions of dong (VND10 billion = $393,000) in illegal profits.

Colonel Nguyen Minh Tuan, director of Phu Tho police, said this is the first case in the country involving falsification of environmental impact assessment reports to be handled.

The scheme took place over a long period of time and in many localities, and was facilitated by state management agencies. Phu Tho police are expanding their investigation into the case.