Provincial People's Council: Dien Chau must handle environmental pollution, clarify violations in leasing Lach Van port

(Baonghean.vn) - After directly inspecting the contents of voters' petitions, on the afternoon of October 12, the Supervisory Delegation of the Provincial People's Council Standing Committee led by Comrade Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, had a working session with the leaders of Dien Chau district to explain the handling of voters' opinions and petitions in the area.

At the meeting, the representative of Dien Chau district explained the contents of voters' concerns and recommendations: Regarding the content of the road to Phung Chi Kien relic site, Dien Yen commune, which has been under construction for 4 years but has not been completed, the District People's Committee has repeatedly requested the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the contractor to quickly construct the items to receive the Certificate of recognition as a historical and cultural relic (recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism since 2012) but up to now, construction has not continued, the reason is that there is no funding.

Representatives of Dien Chau district leaders explained voters' opinions and recommendations.

Regarding the project to build N8-8A pumping station in Dien Quang commune, invested by Dien Quang commune People's Committee, which has been completed and put into operation but has not brought about efficiency, the project has completed the following items: Currently, the project still has 300 canals that have not been cleared. However, the investor has accepted the completed items and handed them over to Dien Quang Cooperative to use for drought-fighting water pumping since March 2015.

During the operation, the management unit discovered some shortcomings such as: The pump motor consumes too much electricity; If operating at full capacity of 2 pumps, the first 300m of the canal will overflow... The District People's Committee has submitted a request to the Provincial People's Committee to convert to an energy-saving pump system. According to the investor's report, by the end of 2016, the locality will focus on site clearance for the remaining 300m of the canal to promptly construct to serve production and accept and hand over the entire project for use in early 2017.

Ms. Lo Thi Kim Ngan - Head of the Ethnic Committee of the Provincial People's Council proposed to put the relocation of the pesticide warehouse at Dien Quang Primary School into an urgent key project.

The issue that Dien Chau district voters have repeatedly reported at meetings with National Assembly and People's Council deputies is that the current channel of Lach Van Fishing Port is very shallow, making it difficult for large ships to enter and take shelter from storms. Dien Chau district responded to this issue: Due to the terrain of the channel mouth in a shallow sea area, every year after the rainy season, the small flow causes sedimentation, which has been dredged but only after a short time has been deposited again.

Dredging Lach Van estuary and expanding Lach Van Fishing Port is very difficult, requiring a huge amount of funding, while the district's limited budget cannot meet the requirements. The District People's Committee has reported and made recommendations to the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development many times, and has been acknowledged by the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

To clarify this issue, Mr. Tran Kim Loc - Chief of Office of the Provincial People's Council commented: Not only is the waterway silted, but the environment at Lach Van Fishing Port is polluted. The most disgusting thing is that a place for trading fresh seafood has become a place for raising cows, the environment is polluted and dirty. This shows that coordination with the government, the fishing port management board and the electricity industry is still problematic.

Mr. Chu The Huyen - Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee informed more: Environmental pollution is located in the Lach Van fishing port area, the local land fund for the fishing port to operate, but the fishing port illegally leased the land for many years and has no responsibility in waste treatment, environment, electricity... Although the locality has made recommendations, they have not been resolved.

Dien Ngoc is a locality suffering from environmental pollution from processing factories and seafood production and processing facilities.

Responding to voters' feedback on environmental pollution in the area surrounding the fishmeal factory in Dien Ngoc commune due to emissions from the drying process; due to wastewater not being thoroughly treated before being discharged into the air and water sources, affecting the health and daily life of people living nearby.

The district has established interdisciplinary inspection teams and required factories to complete wastewater treatment systems according to regulations and assigned Dien Ngoc commune to periodically use chemicals to treat wastewater treatment ponds to reduce concentrations and pollutants in water and limit odors.

To clarify this content, Mr. Tran Dinh Toan - Deputy of the Legal Department, Provincial People's Council suggested that the district should clarify the commitment and responsibility of fishmeal processing facilities causing environmental pollution. At the same time, the regulations should clearly define the responsibility of Dien Ngoc commune and business enterprises to have higher feasibility in handling environmental pollution.

Dien Quang Primary School is located on a pesticide warehouse.

Explaining opinions on environmental pollution due to pesticide residues at Dien Quang Primary School. Due to pesticide contamination in 2 classrooms, the school had to close and not use the level 4 building. On September 1, 2016, the Provincial People's Committee issued a Decision approving the results of the project: "Investigation, assessment, determination of scope and level of pollution and development of a plan for treatment and environmental improvement for the pesticide residue point at Dien Quang Primary School". Accordingly, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment was assigned to preside. However, currently, there are difficulties in collecting and clearing land to implement the project.

To clarify this issue, Mr. Chu The Huyen - Chairman of the People's Committee of Dien Chau district said: The district has proposed to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to collect samples for analysis, establish a project, and is currently at the stage of project establishment, without funding. The Provincial People's Council is requested to propose prioritizing this issue first and the district will have a plan to build a school for the locality.

In addition, Dien Chau district explained and clarified the voters' opinions and recommendations about the current situation, results, and solutions as well as made recommendations to the province and related departments, branches and sectors.

Comrade Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the monitoring delegation concluded the working session.

Speaking at the meeting, Comrade Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council emphasized: The feedback from Dien Chau voters is accurate. The Provincial People's Council will receive and make recommendations to relevant departments, branches and the Provincial People's Committee to promptly resolve the people's legitimate recommendations.

Thanh Le