VietNamNet Bridge - Environmentalists as well as travel firms, which could benefit from a proposed road through a special-use forest, have voiced their protest against the project.

The news about the building of a 14 kilometer road through the primitive forest in the Con Dao National Park in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has stirred up the public. 

Ten years ago, the project was put into discussion and it faced strong opposition from locals. 

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However, it seems that the road building is unavoidable as local authorities have shown their strong determination to implement the project.

Nguyen Thanh Chinh, chair of Con Dao district, said on Nguoi Lao Dong that the project implementation was being sped up.

Chinh, answering the local press, said the road, once built, would help develop tourism, but travel firms do not think so.

Tran The Dung, deputy director of The He Tre Travel, warned that once a road is built there, the original beauty of the land, which attracts tourists, would no longer exist. 

Travelers love Con Dao because of the natural beauty, the diverse ocean ecosystem with many rare and precious aquatic creature species that need conservation
“Travelers love Con Dao because of the natural beauty, the diverse ocean ecosystem with many rare and precious aquatic creature species that need conservation,” Dung noted. 

He said he could nt see any reason to build one more road through the forest, once there is a coastal road in Con Dao. It is now very comfortable to go on that road to Ben Dam Port and Co Ong Airport.

“Once a road through the forest is built, many infrastructure items and construction works will be developed. If so, a virgin Con Dao island will no longer exist,” he warned.

A representative of the HCM City Tourism Association said that developing tourism was just an excuse made up by the Ba Ria-Vung Tau provincial authorities.

In fact, the road will not help develop local tourism because it will affect the ecosystem on the island. 

“Con Dao is not a place suitable to attracting tourists in masses. Con Dao attracts people because of its original beauty, and therefore, the beauty must not be spoiled,” he said.

Tran Van Truong, director of Thanh Nien Xung Phong Travel, said he had never heard from travelers that wanted to go to Con Dao to discover the primitive forest in the National Park.

“Tourists come there because they love the peace and the beauty of the sea,” he said. “It would be better not to roughly handle Con Dao Forest, but instead protect it.”


NLD