Nghi Loc residents upset because chicken farm pollutes the environment in residential area
(Baonghean.vn) - In recent days, people in Truong Phu hamlet, Nghi Truong commune (Nghi Loc) have been upset because the chicken farm in the hamlet has been emitting a foul smell, affecting people's lives and activities, especially during the prolonged hot weather when the stench is even more intense.
Clip: Quang An |
Environmental pollution
In early June, reporters were present at Truong Phu hamlet, Nghi Truong commune, Nghi Loc district to record the environmental pollution at chicken farms that people reported.
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| Mr. Hoang Van Long's chicken farm in Truong Phu hamlet, Nghi Truong commune (Nghi Loc) is located next to a resident's house. Photo: QA |
According to observations, on the road in Truong Phu hamlet, there are two chicken farms owned by Mr. Tran Ngoc Dung and Mr. Hoang Van Long, about 100 meters apart. Of which, Mr. Dung's chicken farm has about 5,000 broiler chickens, Mr. Long's chicken farm has 14,000 chickens, the largest number in the commune. Both are built in residential areas.
According to local people, Mr. Dung's chicken farm was built about 3 years ago. At that time, due to the lack of strict waste treatment measures, it emitted a foul smell and polluted the environment. After many complaints, the chicken farm has now taken measures to improve it, such as installing fans and building walls to block exhaust fumes.
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| 5 high-capacity fans from Mr. Long's chicken farm push exhaust gas into the environment. Photo: Quang An |
However, Mr. Hoang Van Long's chicken farm (built in 2022) with the largest number of chickens in the commune has caused severe pollution during the recent hot days.
Ms. Dao Thi Phuong, Truong Phu hamlet said: In recent days, my family and the people in the hamlet have been upset because of the "double pollution" at Mr. Long's chicken farm. When the number of chickens is too large, the stench is strong, and the exhaust fans installed at the farm continuously blow into the environment. Not to mention the times when there are power outages, Mr. Long's family continuously uses generators for the chicken farm, the noise of the machines for many hours makes it impossible for people to rest in the middle of a hot summer day.
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The gas barrier is just a row of trees and a thin piece of tarpaulin, the gas can spread to the surrounding environment. Photo: QA |
According to observation, Mr. Hoang Van Long's chicken farm is about 1,000m wide.2, has 2 fronts adjacent to houses and roads, the remaining 2 sides face the fields. There are 5 large capacity fans operating continuously; the air shielding is only rudimentary with a row of trees and a piece of tarpaulin.
Mr. Hoang Van Long - Chicken farm owner admitted: We will build the chicken farm in 2022, and complete it by the end of the year with an area of nearly 1,000 m2.2, raising 14,000 broilers. The stocking date was February 17, it has been more than 3 months and is ready for sale. In fact, during the raising process, we acknowledge that people's complaints about the bad smell are well-founded and will implement remedial measures according to regulations.
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Officials from the People's Committee of Nghi Loc district and Nghi Truong commune worked with Mr. Hoang Van Long about the pollution situation, requesting the farm owner to handle it quickly and thoroughly so as not to affect people's lives. Photo: QA |
Mr. Long said that this was his first batch of pigs so he did not have much experience in waste treatment and proper covering measures.
Need local government involvement
Nghi Truong is a locality with strengths in poultry farming; there are currently 28 chicken farms in the area, spread across the hamlets.
In this locality, the production land area is mainly sandy soil, barren soil, growing crops with low productivity, the rice area is only about 100 hectares, therefore, developing livestock, especially poultry, is considered the economic spearhead of many households.
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Nghi Truong commune authorities pledged to the people to handle the pollution situation at chicken farms in the area. Photo: QA |
Despite its strengths, the encouragement of livestock development does not go hand in hand with the planning of concentrated livestock areas. 28 farms and ranches in the commune are all located in residential areas.
Local people have strengths in poultry farming, however, the locality has not yet arranged concentrated breeding sites for people, partly because the current land fund is no longer available. The locality's shortcomings in management are not keeping up with the development of people's farms and ranches to advise and ask for opinions from superiors to arrange breeding planning sites. Therefore, households mainly build barns on family land and are located in residential areas. This has also been a concern of the locality for many years, there have been meetings to find solutions but have not yet found a feasible solution.
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Mr. Long's chicken farm has 14,000 chickens, the highest in Nghi Truong commune, leading to overload and inevitable pollution. Photo: QA |
In addition, the supervision and management of the construction of farms and ranches in residential areas in Nghi Truong commune is not strict.
In fact, air pollution has been present in this locality for many years. Up to now, Mr. Long's chicken farm has exceeded the number of chickens raised in the area, combined with the prolonged hot weather, the stench has become more intense, and the pollution has become more serious. On June 2, after receiving feedback from the people, officers from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghi Loc district and Nghi Truong commune directly inspected and provided guidance on how to handle the pollution situation here.
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| Farmers in Nghi Truong commune treat chicken coops after selling chickens. Photo: QA |
After making the record, the professional departments of Nghi Loc district and Nghi Truong commune requested the chicken farm owner to seriously implement the following issues: Using probiotics, lime powder, and fully disinfecting the chicken farm; building high walls around the fan to prevent the exhaust from spreading to the living environment; planting trees to cover it, and especially reducing the number of chickens raised by about 50% to avoid overloading in the barn.
Mr. Hoang Van Long also proposed to the local authorities to create conditions for him to sell this first batch of chickens before improving the environment, because according to Mr. Long, the cost of building a chicken farm is about 1.8 billion VND, if he cannot sell the chickens, he will suffer a heavy loss.
After consideration, Nghi Loc district and Nghi Truong commune also created conditions for Mr. Long's family to sell the first batch of chickens. After selling, they must immediately implement environmental protection solutions as committed. If the inspection still does not ensure compliance, the farming will be suspended and fined according to regulations.
Clip: Quang An |
Regarding the issue of suspending or dismantling chicken farms in residential areas, Mr. Nguyen Duy Chau - Chairman of Nghi Truong Commune People's Committee said that this is really a difficult problem because chicken farms are the main source of income for people, some households have invested billions of dong in the farms. Banning or dismantling the farms will have a significant impact on the economy of the households.
Therefore, the most feasible solution is to require chicken farm owners to strictly implement environmental protection and will have strict penalties if they affect people's lives. Local authorities will strengthen supervision and strictly prohibit the emergence and construction of new chicken farms in residential areas.
