Must ensure people's right to clean water

(Baonghean.vn) - "Water plants must be responsible for supplying water to people's homes according to water use contracts. Water production plants must be responsible for loss, damage or pollution of water sources," said Mr. Tran Hong Chau, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Council at the questioning session with the Director of the Department of Construction on the afternoon of December 12.

The Presidium conducts the questioning session.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and delegates were interested in the content of the questioning session on the afternoon of December 12.

On the afternoon of December 12, the Provincial People's Council delegates entered a direct question-and-answer session. The question-and-answer session was related to the issue of providing clean water to the people.

Before answering the questions, Mr. Hoang Trong Kim, Director of the Department of Construction, reported on some issues related to the questions. Currently, Nghe An has 17 urban clean water supply points with a capacity of 88,000 cubic meters/day and night. In the past, people using clean water in the area have had many concerns and worries about issues such as slow, weak, and unsafe water supply. The input water source is polluted. Some quality indicators of raw water and treated water have not yet met the prescribed standards, etc.

Delegate Delegate Nguyen Chi Nham questioned.

Mr. Hoang Trong Kim - Director of the Department of Construction answered questions.

According to Mr. Hoang Trong Kim, the reason for the above situation is that the pipeline network of Vinh city was built a long time ago, in many stages. Some areas are far from the source and the network, so there is not enough pressure. Some suburban communes still lack a level 2 transmission pipeline network. The reason for the poor quality of water sources is that the authorities have not done a good job of checking and monitoring wastewater sources into the river; water supply units have not done a good job of propaganda and mobilizing people to raise awareness and responsibility for protecting water sources. People living on both sides of the Dao River also have the habit of dumping garbage into the river, water from livestock and poultry farms, chemicals flowing into rice fields, etc. are the reasons for the pollution of the input water source.

In addition, the water supply pipes are old and degraded but have not been invested in or replaced. Some pipes are located in the wastewater ditch, some are broken and have not been replaced, leading to the water in the pipes being contaminated, affecting the quality of people's domestic water.

Faced with the above situation, the head of the Department of Construction proposed five solutions, including: strengthening state management at all levels and relevant sectors; raising public awareness; improving management and operation capacity for water supply units; changing and supplementing a number of policy mechanisms and continuing to improve the water supply system.

Immediately after Mr. Hoang Trong Kim's explanation report, the People's Council delegates took turns raising questions.

Delegate Do Dinh Quang, Vinh City constituency, requested clarification: Where is the responsibility of the Department of Construction when there is a problem with the water source; The current level 1, 2, 3 pipelines are all invested by the state, but why do people using water still have to contribute? Delegate Nguyen Chi Nham asked why the water company handles the water according to the correct technical process but the water is still dirty; Among the solutions proposed, there is no feasible solution to completely overcome this problem. There must be convincing solutions to reassure the People's Council and voters.

Delegate Tran Quoc Chung said that currently, on both sides of the canal there are many fields, many factories, residues of pesticides, toxic chemicals that follow the rain, flow into the water, and diseases can occur. It is proposed that there must be a direction to handle this soon; Delegate Tran Van Mao wondered why the water supply is not timely and not sufficient, but the solutions given are not satisfactory. Why is the water supply not timely provided and the water quality is low?,...

In response to the frank questions of the People's Council delegates, Mr. Hoang Trong Kim affirmed that the clean water treatment technology process is currently being strictly implemented. The test results of the Preventive Medicine Center are being used as a basis for assessing the quality of water sources. In the coming time, it is necessary to test and inspect at a higher level, with more specific criteria. After the results are available, if the water source is polluted, then there will be two sets of solutions to be implemented: either the technological process must be changed or the water supply must be changed.

Mr. Kim said that Nghe An Water One Member Co., Ltd. is a new model, directly managed by the Provincial People's Committee. The issue of clean water responsibility is related to many different sectors: The construction sector is responsible for planning and building a network of factories and water pipes, the health sector is responsible for inspecting the quality of water sources, and the input water supply is the responsibility of the natural resources and environment sector. Therefore, the sectors must coordinate closely with each other.

In response to the question of delegate Thai Thi An Chung: Has Nghe An established a Steering Committee for Safe Water Supply according to Circular 08, Ministry of Construction dated November 21, 2012? Mr. Hoang Trong Kim said that up to now, the province has not yet established this committee.

The questioning atmosphere was frank and lively. In response to some opinions from delegates that the explanations of the head of the construction industry were not specific, did not provide feasible measures and were still evasive, comrade Tran Hong Chau, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, requested that the representative of the unit directly managing Nghe An Water Supply One Member Co., Ltd., Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, must have an opinion.

Comrade Huynh Thanh Dien, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, admitted his mistake to voters and People's Council delegates regarding the quality of clean water sources.

People of Nghi Phu commune - Vinh city follow the questioning session on the afternoon of December 12.

Comrade Huynh Thanh Dien, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, said that the Provincial People's Committee has authorized the departments to directly take charge and manage, in which the main responsible and presiding agency is the Department of Construction. "In the process of water supply, there are some existing problems, we would like to take responsibility before the voters and the People's Council delegates for the problems that have occurred. In the coming time, we will continue to direct relevant sectors and local authorities at all levels to make more efforts, trying to provide enough water and ensure water quality for the people", the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee frankly admitted.

At the end of the questioning period on the afternoon of December 12, comrade Tran Hong Chau affirmed that the direct questioning process took place in an enthusiastic and frank manner. The questioning process discovered loopholes in state management. Clean water is a special commodity, directly related to the health and even the lives of the people. In the coming time, it is recommended that the Provincial People's Committee, as the governing body, continue to manage and supervise water plants, and not shirk responsibility as it is now. It is necessary to focus on inspection and supervision of water production companies and input water sources. At the same time, modern equipment must be improved to treat water sources. People are water customers, and clean water must be supplied to every household. Reasons such as old or damaged pipes leading to weak water sources and poor quality must be the responsibility of the water supply agency.

“In addition, we must continue to promote and raise the responsibility of the government, localities and all people in water resource management. To have clean water for people, we must have clean water right from the beginning. We must ensure the rights and interests of people in using clean water,” concluded comrade Tran Hong Chau.

Nguyen Khoa - Dao Tuan