In early October, Formosa relief money will reach the people.

Recently, the Ministry of Finance submitted to the Prime Minister the compensation level for each group of people affected by the environmental incident caused by Formosa. Based on that, it is expected that localities will start transferring compensation and support money to people from the beginning of October.

At the press conference of the Central Propaganda Department on September 20, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan said that so far, localities have basically completed the inventory, declaration, determination of damage and submitted reports to the Ministry of Finance for synthesis.

Ship owners and workers on ships with a capacity of over 90 CV will also be supported - Photo: TL

On September 20, the Ministry of Finance will finalize the proposal to submit to the Prime Minister. “From now until the end of September, the Government can approve the support level for localities. On that basis, localities will soon implement the transfer of compensation and support money to beneficiaries from the beginning of October,” said Mr. Tuan.

Previously, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Official Dispatch No. 7268/BNN-TCTS dated August 29 on guidelines for aquaculture and fisheries exploitation in four central provinces.

Regarding aquaculture, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recommends that localities organize propaganda to guide people to conduct normal saltwater and brackish water aquaculture activities in the sea areas of four central provinces with all methods such as cage farming, tidal flats and in ponds and lagoons.

Regarding seafood exploitation, localities have organized propaganda for people to operate seafood normally. However, to restore aquatic resources and aquatic ecosystems which are habitats for aquatic species, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recommends that people do not exploit in three sea areas, including: Son Duong island, Ha Tinh province, 1.5 km from shore (area 300 km2); Nhat Le estuary, Quang Binh province, 1.5 km from shore (area 330 km2); Son Cha island, Thua Thien-Hue province, 1.5 km from shore (area 160 km2).

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also recommends that people do not exploit the bottom layer such as trawling, bottom trawling, diving, bottom fishing, cage fishing, and exploiting natural bivalve molluscs in the sea area 20 nautical miles from the shore in the provinces from Ha Tinh to Thua Thien-Hue. The Ministry of Health said this morning that bottom-dwelling seafood is still contaminated with phenol and should not be used as food for humans.

Regarding the subjects of support, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also issued Official Dispatch 7433/BNN-TCTS dated September 1, 2016 on adding the supported people who are indirectly affected. These added groups include ship owners and workers on ships with a capacity of over 90 CV; owners and workers at seafood purchasing and storage facilities with cold storage; fish sauce processing facilities, shrimp paste production facilities; aquaculture facilities that are unable to farm during the temporary suspension period.

According to Thesaigontimes