Nghe An: 31 establishments were fined for violating environmental protection regulations.
(Baonghean.vn) - This information was presented at a working session of the Provincial People's Council's monitoring delegation with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment under the program of monitoring compliance with laws on environmental protection, labor safety and hygiene, and policies and regimes for workers.
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| Vice Chairmen of the Provincial People's Council: Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Hoang Viet Duong - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee chaired the meeting. Also participating were members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee: Nguyen Thi Thu Huong - Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department, Head of the Provincial People's Council's Culture and Social Affairs Department; Phan Duc Dong - Head of the Provincial People's Council's Internal Affairs Department, Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Department. Photo: Minh Chi |
X31 establishments were fined for violating environmental protection regulations.
According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, environmental protection is identified by the industry as one of the key tasks, so in recent times, the industry has proactively advised the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee to issue many leadership, direction and management documents.
Notably, the Department advised the Provincial Party Standing Committee to issue Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU on strengthening the Party's leadership over environmental protection work in the province; advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue a Plan to implement the National Environmental Protection Strategy to 2020, with a vision to 2030 in the province.
The Department also strengthens propaganda, dissemination of laws and guides and urges enterprises and production establishments to implement regulations on environmental protection; associated with inspection, examination and handling of violations.
In 2017 and the first 6 months of 2018, the Department advised on establishing a provincial-level interdisciplinary inspection team for more than 140 establishments and imposed administrative penalties on 31 establishments with a total amount of more than 2.5 billion VND.
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| Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee Phan Duc Dong raised the issue of many shortcomings in the management, transportation and treatment of hazardous waste. Photo: Minh Chi |
Monitoring results do not reflect reality
From the supervision practice in some enterprises and production facilities, at the meeting, many members of the Provincial People's Council's supervision delegation raised concerns, inadequacies and limitations. The most prominent is the loose management of hazardous waste; some enterprises do not have warehouses and do not have invoices, contracts for transporting and treating this waste in accordance with regulations.
The monitoring and inspection work after the approval of environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports, commitments and environmental protection plans is still limited. The evidence is that many facilities have not completed environmental protection works as approved and environmental assurance still has limitations.
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| Tin ore waste is discharged directly in the production area, with absolutely no storage tanks at Ha An Tin Company in Quy Hop. Photo taken on October 15, 2018. |
Environmental monitoring at enterprises and production facilities has not yet accurately reflected reality. The results of monitoring indicators are all lower than the permitted standards, but direct monitoring shows that the environment is very polluted.
Compliance with the work of land reclamation and environmental restoration after mineral exploitation in mineral exploitation enterprises is not serious...
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| Mr. Pham Van Toan - Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment acknowledged the shortcomings that the Provincial People's Council's monitoring delegation pointed out in reality. Photo: Minh Chi |
Strengthen good coordination with sectors and levels
Concluding the meeting, in addition to highly appreciating the state management work of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment on environmental protection in recent times, which has created many positive changes, Vice Chairmen of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien and Hoang Viet Duong also frankly pointed out many existing problems in this field.
Affirming that the field of environmental protection is broad and complex, requiring the roles and responsibilities of many sectors, many levels and the whole society, however, according to the Vice Chairmen of the Provincial People's Council, with the responsibility of advising and managing the State in this field, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment continues to research, advise and implement many solutions to gradually overcome the shortcomings and limitations in environmental protection work in the province.
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| Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien concluded at the meeting. Photo: Minh Chi |
In addition, the Department also needs to strengthen supervision, inspection, and urging the implementation of conclusions after inspections and audits by competent authorities at enterprises, production and business establishments, and carry out land reclamation and environmental restoration after mineral exploitation.
The Vice Chairmen of the Provincial People's Council also requested the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to study and direct units to carry out environmental monitoring tasks in enterprises in a proper manner; at the same time, have solutions to manage hazardous waste in accordance with regulations...