The monitoring delegation of Nghe An Provincial People's Council on environmental protection works with the Provincial People's Committee

Overview of the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

COMPLETELY DEAL WITH SERIOUS AND LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Before working with the Provincial People's Committee, the delegation supervised the reality at a number of enterprises, units, and locations; worked directly with agencies and units: the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone, the People's Committees of Nghia Dan, Hung Nguyen districts, Vinh city and supervised through reports for a number of agencies and units.

Thereby, the delegation assessed: In general, the leadership, direction and organization of the implementation of environmental protection laws in the province basically ensured compliance with the law and had many positive changes.

Comrade Cao Tien Trung - Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council, Deputy Head of the Supervisory Delegation presented the report of the supervisory delegation. Photo: Thanh Duy

All levels and sectors have taken drastic actions, concretizing the central and provincial regulations on environmental protection; linking propaganda and dissemination of environmental protection laws to community-based programs, campaigns and movements, connecting with many organizations and unions in localities, contributing to raising awareness and responsibility for environmental protection among people and businesses.

The urban and rural environmental indicators have been paid attention to and significantly improved. The collection of solid waste in urban areas reached 96.5%; in rural areas reached 63%. The treatment of solid waste in urban areas reached 97.18%; in rural areas reached 96%. The rate of treatment of solid waste; collection and treatment of hazardous waste has increased gradually each year.

Comrade Hoang Quoc Viet - Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment spoke to explain some contents under his authority. Photo: Thanh Duy

Environmental pollution points and serious environmental pollution are being directed for treatment. Industrial parks, industrial clusters, production and business establishments have all focused on investing in infrastructure construction, centralized wastewater treatment systems, monitoring systems, investment in processing technology, modern production lines, meeting the needs of socio-economic development associated with environmental protection.

The budget for environmental activities has been carefully arranged. Many international conferences and seminars have been organized to mobilize resources, experience, and acquire advanced technologies in environmental projects.

Comrade Le Tien Tri - Head of the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board spoke to explain some contents under his authority. Photo: Thanh Duy

At the same time, through monitoring, the delegation pointed out 8 shortcomings and limitations related to compliance with the law on environmental protection; especially at present, there are 17 type V urban areas in districts, 5/6 concentrated production, business and service areas outside the Southeast Economic Zone, 12/24 industrial clusters and 182 craft villages that do not have centralized wastewater treatment systems according to regulations; at the same time, pointed out objective and subjective groups of causes and 8 groups of recommendations to the Provincial People's Committee.

At the meeting, leaders of relevant departments and branches such as: Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Department of Construction; Management Board of Southeast Economic Zone, Department of Industry and Trade, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development explained the existing problems and issues pointed out by the monitoring delegation such as: The development and promulgation of a number of documents to implement the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 according to regulations is still slow; propaganda and dissemination of environmental policies and laws in some places are not regular and continuous, so the effectiveness of compliance with environmental protection regulations by people and production and business establishments is not high; the collection, transportation and treatment of domestic solid waste still has some shortcomings; the control, collection and treatment of environmental pollution points due to residual plant protection chemicals has not achieved a high rate; inspection and examination of environmental protection work has not been carried out regularly and promptly...

Comrade Phung Thanh Vinh - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development spoke to explain some contents under his authority. Photo: Thanh Duy

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van De also discussed and clarified some contents. Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Nam Dinh - Head of the monitoring delegation discussed further the recommendations of the Provincial People's Committee; at the same time, emphasized some contents that the Provincial People's Committee should continue to pay attention to, such as: Resolutely handling serious, long-term pollution spots that have caused frustration up to now, including the treatment of domestic solid waste; especially having a plan to replace Nghi Yen landfill after this landfill completes its function; treating pollution at some medical facilities, as well as the issue of gathering and treating waste that is construction materials...

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van De spoke at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province Nguyen Duc Trung affirmed that the Provincial People's Council's organization of a thematic supervision delegation on the compliance with the law on environmental protection by organizations, units and enterprises in the province is a very correct and appropriate action for the situation of the province; demonstrating the attention and companionship of the Provincial People's Council to the Provincial People's Committee. This is also an issue that the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, all levels and sectors pay great attention to, therefore, there have been positive changes recognized by the delegation.

In addition, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province highly agreed with the shortcomings and limitations pointed out by the delegation and will closely point them out for handling. First of all, it is necessary to continue raising awareness and consciousness of agencies, organizations, businesses, and leading agencies on environmental protection work.

Comrade Nguyen Nam Dinh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council spoke at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

The Provincial People's Committee will also prioritize the allocation of possible resources for environmental protection, including public investment and environmental career funding to handle environmental issues on the basis of review, arrangement, and prioritization, without dispersion; focus on attracting non-budget investment projects in the field of environmental treatment, especially waste and wastewater treatment.

In particular, according to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Nghe An is currently very determined to attract investment projects to create conditions to promote development, but the viewpoint is to ensure sustainable development, not to trade off the environment for investment projects, for economic development.

Therefore, the process of appraising investment projects, especially the environmental impact assessment of the project, the Provincial People's Committee will continue to strictly implement, ensuring regulations, suitable to the development requirements of the province, especially having a long-term vision on environmental issues so as not to affect the sustainable development of the province. The Provincial People's Committee will continue to focus on prioritizing inspection and supervision work to better prevent environmental protection, and promptly handle environmental problems if they are detected.

Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee spoke at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

Regarding the recommendations of the monitoring delegation, comrade Nguyen Duc Trung said: The Provincial People's Committee seriously accepts them; at the same time, it will proactively develop plans, assign departments and branches according to their functions and tasks to implement in order of priority such as: Handling urgent issues, key content, long-term pollution spots...

NO TRADE-OFF AT ANY COST

Concluding the meeting, Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy - Chairman of the Provincial People's Council emphasized that the environment is a global issue, closely linked to climate change. Therefore, Nghe An in the development process must unify the perception that development must be associated with environmental protection; not at all costs; not mechanically, but must pay utmost attention to protecting environmental principles, standards and regulations.

From there, it becomes an action in the process of performing tasks; especially promoting responsibility in the management process of the standing agency, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and authorities at all levels.

Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy - Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Council delivered a concluding speech at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

Because if in the development process, without care, attention, or a plan to protect the environment, when the consequences occur, it will not only cost effort and money to fix, but also affect people's lives, health, and psychology.

Emphasizing that awareness must be associated with responsibility in environmental protection, in which, highly appreciating the solution and also the recommendation of the Provincial People's Committee is to build a coordination regulation between agencies, units, and localities with high responsibility attached to the leaders, the Chairman of the People's Council of Nghe An province emphasized that this must start from the State management agency, the Provincial People's Committee, specifically the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, to advise on building a coordination regulation; attaching responsibility to agencies, units, localities, and enterprises.

Delegates attending the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

Comrade Thai Thanh Quy suggested that the Party Committee of the Provincial People's Committee pay attention to directing new actions and plans to handle environmental issues in the coming time; especially issues of waste and domestic waste in both urban and rural areas; from medical examination and treatment facilities and from production, business, craft villages, and activities of enterprises investing in and outside industrial parks and economic zones.

Along with that is to carry out inspection, examination and supervision well, moving towards smart management, remote monitoring and supervision; thereby, thoroughly handling environmental backlogs.