Dust spread from mineral exploitation on both sides of the Nha Trang - Cam Lâm Highway affects visibility for drivers and equipment operators on the highway. Photo ktdt.vn

KHÁNH HOÀ – The exploitation of stone quarries on both sides of the Nha Trang - Cam Lâm Highway spreads dust in the wind onto the highway, obscuring drivers’ vision while traveling, creating a high risk of accidents to people and vehicles participating in traffic.

In response to this situation, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Khánh Hoà Province has sent an official dispatch to Hoá An 1 Co., Ltd., Phước Thành Co., Ltd., Tiến Lộc Construction Materials Co., Ltd., and Thành Đạt Construction Materials Manufacturing Co., Ltd., on promoting environmental protection work in mineral exploitation activities at Dốc Sạn quarry.

Previously, Nha Trang-Cam Lâm Expressway Investment Company Limited, the unit to implement the construction investment component project of the Nha Trang - Cam Lâm section, sent a document to Cam Ranh city’s People's Committee, Department of Natural Resources and Environment and relevant agencies on solutions to handle the situation of dust from the quarry mining process drifting across the highway (from Km48 to Km51), limiting visibility causing a safety risk for drivers, and damaging the operating equipment of Dốc Sạn tunnel in the Nha Trang - Cam Lâm expressway project.

The Nha Trang - Cam Lam expressway, part of the North-South Expressway project in the period 2017-2020, has four lanes and operating speed of 90km per hour and was put into operation in May last year.

The route passes through three districts of Diên Khánh, Cam Lâm and Cam Ranh city in Khánh Hoà Province.

Currently, the project has been put into operation to ensure safety, quality and efficiency.

However, the section from km48 to km51 in Cam Phước Đông of Cam Ranh city, from early April this year was impacted by dust from material exploitation at quarries on both sides of the highway. These are Hoá An, Phước Thành and Tiến Lộc quarries at the north entrance of Dốc Sạn tunnel and Thành Đạt at the south entrance of the tunnel.

Dust from the quarry blown over the highway not only pollutes the environment but also obscures visibility for drivers, raising the risk of accidents.

In addition, dirt from the quarry spread into the tunnel and obscured tunnel operating equipment such as cameras, lighting, ventilation fans, fire protection and communication systems, affecting the system's operation, leading to damage and potentially disrupting or delaying rescue work in the event of a traffic accident.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment requested the quarries’ owners to implement environmental protection measures in accordance with the requirements in the environmental impact assessment report approved by the Provincial People's Committee.

Businesses must pay attention to implementing measures to minimise dust during the process of mining, processing and transporting minerals so as not to affect the operation of the highway.

The department will coordinate with the People's committees of Cam Ranh city, Cam Phước Đông and Cam Thịnh Đông communes to monitor compliance with legal regulations on environmental protection and will strictly handle violations. VNS