Nghe An has only handled 4/25 locations with pesticide residues.

(Baonghean.vn) - That is the information given by the leader of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment at the meeting with the National Assembly Delegation of the province on handling voters' petitions after the National Assembly sessions on the morning of August 14.

The monitoring delegation of the provincial National Assembly delegation worked at the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Photo: Hoai Thu

Previously, reporting to the monitoring delegation on the settlement of voters' petitions, Mr. Vo Van Ngoc - Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment said that after the sessions of the 14th National Assembly, there were 21 petitions from voters related to the areas under the Department's responsibility that needed to be resolved. Of which, 10 were related to land, 4 were related to minerals and 7 were related to the environment.

And the content that voters petitioned the most in the environmental field was the treatment of pollution at pesticide residue sites in Anh Son district (11 sites) and Dien Chau district (14 sites). In Anh Son district, only 2 sites in Tho Son commune and Kim Long agricultural tea collective area have been completed; and 3 sites in Thach Son, Tao Son and Long Son communes are being implemented.

In Dien Chau district, 2/14 pesticide residue sites in Dien Tho and Dien Yen communes have been treated. The main reason why many pesticide contaminated sites have not been treated is due to lack of funding.

Regarding this issue, Mr. Vo Duy Viet - Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment proposed that the National Assembly delegation make recommendations to higher levels to allocate resources for implementation and promptly handle the situation to minimize impacts on people's health and production life.

Voters' petitions on land mainly relate to agricultural and forestry land and protective forest land such as in Que Phong district, Quynh Xuan ward (Hoang Mai town), Tam Thai commune (Tuong Duong district); land of projects that are slow to implement or operate ineffectively such as in Thach Ngan commune (Con Cuong district), Nam Nhoong commune (Que Phong district)...

Mr. Nguyen Huu Cau - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Director of the Provincial Police Department spoke at the meeting. Photo: Hoai Thu

Regarding the mineral sector, people have made many petitions about the illegal exploitation of sand and gravel in river basins in Do Luong; the return of production land to people in Quang Phong commune, Que Phong district.

Speaking about the discussion contents at the supervision meeting, Mr. Nguyen Huu Cau suggested that the Department of Natural Resources and Environment pay more attention to participating in handling and resolving key issues reflected by voters, in which it is necessary to clearly state the roadmap and time to resolve issues proposed by voters to have clear notices for people to know and increase the addition of recommendations for the People's Council, Provincial People's Committee and localities to participate.

In addition, delegate Nguyen Huu Cau also requested the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to promote administrative reform, focus on responsibility and attitude in serving the people in granting land use right certificates and resolving administrative boundary disputes in the province.

Mr. Vo Duy Viet - Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment spoke at the meeting. Photo: Hoai Thu

The leader of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment also said that the department has been coordinating with relevant levels and sectors to resolve voters' reflections on the environmental pollution situation in the localities: Do Luong, Quy Hop, Thanh Chuong, Thanh Hoa Cement Factory, Provincial Police Detention Center, Bac Vinh Industrial Park, Sabeco Packaging Factory... In particular, regarding the incident of the dam break of the sludge reservoir in Quy Hop district, on July 19, 2017, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issued Decision No. 43/QD-XPVPHC on fining Nghe Tinh Non-ferrous Metals Joint Stock Company 1 billion 70 million VND and requiring this company to overcome related problems.

Regarding voters' feedback on land use by agricultural and forestry companies, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has advised and submitted to the Provincial People's Committee to reclaim 14,084 hectares of land to hand over to the District People's Committees as a basis for organizing land allocation for people to produce.

Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Duy Viet said: "The Department has been conducting inspections and checks in many areas, focusing on the issuance of land use right certificates, especially the use of forestry land in the spirit of serving the interests of the people, and cannot let people go without land for production.

Regarding the issue of handling residual pesticides, the biggest problem is the implementation cost. We request that the National Assembly delegation report to relevant levels and sectors to promptly arrange the funding."

At the working session, National Assembly deputies also requested the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to report and make more specific recommendations on a number of issues related to the allocation of funding sources; on the implementation process and the results of resolving voters' petitions so that the provincial National Assembly delegation can synthesize and report to relevant levels and sectors./.

Hoai Thu