Environmental pollution must be addressed promptly and effectively.

(Baonghean) - Environmental pollution from industrial zones, industrial clusters, factories, and hospitals has been negatively impacting the lives, health, and production of the people and has yet to be completely resolved; what are the responsibilities and solutions for remediation in the future? This was the content of the question and answer session held by the Provincial People's Council with Mr. Vo Duy Viet - Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment at the session.

Besides accepting responsibility for the inspection, monitoring, and handling of violations by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, through his explanation, Mr. Vo Duy Viet clarified the responsibilities of various levels and sectors and proposed solutions to definitively resolve the current environmental pollution situation.

For example, in industrial parks, the responsibility of the Southeast Economic Zone Project Management Board is to guide and inspect investors in the construction and operation of industrial park infrastructure; ensure that production, business, and service establishments within the industrial park comply with environmental protection regulations; detect and handle violations of environmental protection laws within its authority and advise competent authorities on resolving and handling such violations; and mobilize forces to respond to and mitigate environmental incidents in the industrial park as prescribed.

Wastewater treatment systems for two fishmeal processing plants in Dien Ngoc commune.

Following the explanation, six provincial People's Council delegates directly questioned the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Delegate Dinh Thi An Phong (Nghi Loc) strongly agreed with Mr. Vo Duy Viet's explanation and questioned: "In your explanation, you stated that the awareness of responsibility among business leaders is still limited, and that they did not properly and seriously implement the commitments in the approved environmental impact assessment report and environmental protection commitment; that the wastewater treatment system was not completed before being put into operation; that the investment in the wastewater treatment system did not comply with the commitments in the environmental impact assessment report and environmental protection commitment; and that they did not strictly follow the operating procedures of the treatment system... So, during the construction and operation of these factories, did the department supervise them?"

Leachate from untreated fish products causes serious environmental pollution.

Responding to this issue, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment stated: Monitoring this matter is primarily the responsibility of the investor, followed by relevant authorities, including the local government, the relevant departments and units under management, and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment itself. However, achieving 100% thorough monitoring requires further effort, as large investors and businesses are easier to monitor and control, while monitoring of small, fragmented, and scattered businesses across many locations remains limited. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment will continue to work with relevant departments and investors to ensure that all businesses and units fully comply with their environmental protection commitments upon operation.

Dissatisfied with the explanation from the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment regarding this question, the chairman of the meeting, Mr. Ho Duc Phoc, stated: "The Director's answer is unclear... Only when responsibilities are clear can we address existing shortcomings and limitations. Units and businesses that do not fulfill their environmental impact assessment commitments bear primary responsibility from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Because environmental impact assessment is entirely the responsibility of the state. Therefore, the department needs to take responsibility for urging, inspecting, and handling violations."

Household waste from Dien Chau General Hospital is collected, transported, and processed at the Nghi Yen waste treatment complex.

Representative Dinh Thi An Phong continued her questioning: “According to the explanation, due to the small and scattered nature of the businesses, supervision is difficult. However, in reality, in the Nam Cam Industrial Park, despite numerous inspections and audits, the corrective actions have been slow and ineffective.” Responding to the chairman's comments and Representative An Phong's questions, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment replied: “For businesses and units that prepare environmental impact assessment reports, the Department is responsible for advising the province on approval; while businesses and units are subject to environmental protection commitments. If, after approval, the investors do not invest or have not completed the investment, then increased inspections are necessary.”

The questioning of the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment also included opinions from other delegates revolving around the issue of resolving serious environmental pollution sources, handling pesticide residue sites; rural waste management; resolving the issue of compensation for abandoned farmland due to pollution from the Bac Vinh Industrial Park for people in Hung Dong; and the issue of building a crematorium to ensure environmental sustainability...

Concluding the questioning session, Comrade Ho Duc Phoc stated: The consequences of environmental pollution are posing challenges to the socio-economic development of the province, to the lives of the people, and to the maintenance of security and order. This is also an issue that has been raised in previous sessions but has not yet been addressed or resolved. Therefore, all levels and sectors need to focus on addressing it promptly and effectively in the coming time.

MAI HOA