People rush to the mountains in northern Yên Bái Province's Lục Yên District to search for precious gems. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh

YÊN BÁI — The People’s Committee of northern Yên Bái Province’s Lục Yên District has rejected the rumour that a local resident dug up a precious gem worth VNĐ5 billion (US$215,000) on the mountains in Chính Quân Village.

The announcement was made after hundreds of people rushed to the area in search of precious gems, causing serious impacts on the environment and posing security risks.

Nguyễn Duy Hiếu, chief of the Party Committee Office, said the area had become crowded as hundreds of people used tools to dig into rocks on the mountains in an attempt to search for precious gems.

Hiếu repeated that the rumour was inaccurate.

Reports from Lục Yên District’s Police showed that on July 1, as many as 150 people were caught digging in the area with hammers and shovels. None were equipped with proper protective clothing or tools.

The district’s People’s Committee has established an interdisciplinary inspection team to be on duty at Yên Thế Township and Liễu Đô Commune to stop people from going up into the mountains to dig for gems. Local police have been mobilised to stop people from digging and send them back into town.

On Sunday, about 120 people were reportedly digging for gems, and police said more people were likely to come.

The committee has asked the interdisciplinary team to make people aware of the Law on Forestry and the Law on Natural Resources, especially the sections pertaining to illegal mining. — VNS