Lessons on taking environmental protection lightly
(Baonghean.vn) After many years of calling for help and more than 10 days of blockade and struggle, the proposal to relocate the pig farm of Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Ltd. by the people of Dai Son commune (Do Luong) was finally approved by the People's Committee of Nghe An province. Before the above decision, Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Ltd. will certainly suffer a lot of damage. But this is a lesson for companies and businesses that take environmental protection lightly.
(Baonghean.vn) After many years of calling for help and more than 10 days of blockade and struggle, the proposal to relocate the pig farm of Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Ltd. by the people of Dai Son commune (Do Luong) was finally approved by the People's Committee of Nghe An province. Before the above decision, Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Ltd. will certainly suffer a lot of damage. But this is a lesson for companies and businesses that take environmental protection lightly.
People complain, businesses also complain
Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited (formerly Thai Duong Animal Feed Company) was licensed by the Provincial People's Committee to invest in Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Farm in Dai Son Commune, Do Luong District in 2003 and officially came into operation in 2005. After 7 years of operation, it is undeniable that this company has made contributions in providing piglets, creating jobs for workers, and contributing to the provincial budget. However, with the farm's production scale, at one point it raised nearly 25,000 pigs, but the wastewater treatment system was very rudimentary. The company repeatedly discharged wastewater into Cho Ran Dam, causing environmental pollution. Too frustrated, the Dai Son authorities and people repeatedly "called" the Company and relevant agencies to have a timely solution.
Faced with the above situation, the Provincial People's Committee issued Notice No. 244 dated July 30, 2010 requesting the company to remedy the environmental pollution and develop a plan to support affected households. The deadline given by the Provincial People's Committee for the company to complete the wastewater treatment system and resolve environmental pollution is August 30, 2011. In addition, on November 5, 2010, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 5374 establishing a Steering Committee to resolve issues related to the Thai Duong foreign pig breeding farm.
However, for unknown reasons, many wastewater treatment projects of the Company are still being constructed slowly and not completed on schedule. Meanwhile, the environment in Dai Son commune is increasingly polluted, affecting production, daily life and the health of many households in the commune. Ms. Nguyen Thi Liem (70 years old), hamlet 8, Dai Son commune, living near the foot of Cho Ran dam, was upset: "Since the pig farm discharged wastewater into the dam, the water has been polluted and has a very strong smell. How can people endure this?" The results of water tests at Cho Ran dam have not been released yet, but according to Ms. Liem, this is the reason why people are suffering from serious illnesses.
Too upset by the company repeatedly breaking promises about the deadline for treating polluted wastewater, on November 12, 2011, hundreds of people from Dai Son commune came to block trucks carrying food and pigs from entering and leaving the farm. Afterwards, the people set up camp and continuously surrounded the farm, causing the farm's activities to completely stop.
Faced with the above situation, on November 14, 2011, Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company sent a petition to all levels and sectors requesting a solution to the situation of people "camping" to blockade, in order to save thousands of isolated pigs in the farm that were lacking food and at risk of starvation.
Resolutely handle polluting businesses
As reported by Nghe An newspaper, in the dialogue between the government, Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited and the people of Dai Son commune (Do Luong) on November 22, comrade Dinh Viet Hong - Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee approved the proposal to relocate the company's pig farm out of Dai Son commune. To specify this issue, on November 23, 2011, the Provincial People's Committee issued Notice No. 445/TB-UBND, requiring Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited to implement the following contents: The pig farm of Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited must stop operating and move all pigs out of Dai Son commune before December 30, 2011. At the same time, overcome environmental pollution caused by the pig farm in Dai Son commune, Do Luong district; Regarding the damage caused by environmental pollution, the company must be responsible for coordinating with local authorities to review, count and compensate the people for the damage according to regulations.
On the afternoon of November 24, Mr. Nguyen Phuc Thanh - Chairman of the People's Committee of Dai Son Commune (Do Luong) said that people stopped blocking the pig farm of Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited immediately after reading the notice of the Provincial People's Committee requesting the company to relocate.
Regarding the water source assessment in Dai Son commune, Mr. Chu The Huyen - Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said: The Department is directing the Environmental Monitoring Center (under the Department) to collect water samples for analysis, report the results to the Provincial People's Committee and notify the people of Dai Son commune of the results before December 15, 2011.
Regarding the penalty for the Company's environmental pollution, Mr. Huyen added: "If the appraisal results show that Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited causes water pollution, the Company will be penalized according to Decree No. 117/2009/ND-CP dated December 31, 2009 on handling violations of the law in the field of environmental protection, depending on the violation, there will be specific penalties. In November 2010 and July 2011, this unit was also fined 12 million 500 thousand VND for building environmental treatment works that did not meet the commitment."
After a dialogue with people and businesses, on November 23, 2011, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee issued Notice No. 445/TB-UBND with the following content: The foreign pig breeding farm of Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited must stop operations and move all pigs out of Dai Son commune before December 30, 2011. At the same time, environmental pollution caused by the pig farm in Dai Son commune, Do Luong district must be remedied. - Regarding damage caused by environmental pollution, the Company must be responsible for coordinating with local authorities to review, count and compensate people for damages according to regulations. Assign the People's Committee of Do Luong district to organize health check-ups for affected households before December 30, 2011. The cost of health check-ups will be paid by Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited. Assign the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to collect water samples for testing and notify the people of the results before December 15, 2011. The provincial police preside over and direct the Do Luong district police, coordinate with the Do Luong district People's Committee and Dai Son commune People's Committee to ensure order and security in the area. Regarding the relocation of the Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Farm, as requested by Mr. Le Quang Thanh, General Director of Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited, committed to relocating the pig farm before December 30, 2011. - Assign the Department of Construction to preside over and coordinate with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited to survey and select a new location to submit to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and decision as soon as possible. - Do Luong District People's Committee, Dai Son Commune People's Committee, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinate with Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Company Limited to calculate the time, plan and schedule for moving the pig herd to ensure the safety of the sow herd and the farm's physical assets as committed (Thai Duong Foreign Pig Breeding Farm is recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as a pig breeding farm). |
Nguyen Thanh
