Residential areas of Block 2 and Block 3, Nghi Tan Ward, Cua Lo Town are adjacent to the storage yards 1A and 1B of Cua Lo Port. These yards have been the place where Hung Cuong Trading Joint Stock Company has stored iron ore in powder form, often causing dust and air pollution during extreme weather with thunderstorms, tornadoes, or when there are loading and unloading and transportation activities. Due to the impact on life, on March 21, 2024, residents of Block 2 and Block 3, Nghi Tan Ward submitted a petition to the Provincial People's Committee and a number of relevant authorities, requesting consideration and final handling to avoid affecting the environment.
In the complaint from 2019, the production and business activities of Cua Lo Port caused air and noise pollution, so people in Block 2 and Block 3 of Nghi Tan Ward had made suggestions for consideration and handling. In April 2023, based on the people's petition, the People's Committee of Cua Lo Town, the People's Committee of Nghi Tan Ward, representatives of the residential block and Cua Lo Port held a meeting to discuss solutions to handle the environmental pollution problem. After this meeting, Cua Lo Port implemented a number of measures to protect the environment. However, only a short time later, the air and noise pollution continued to recur. The pollution situation is even more severe because the warehouses not only carry out loading and unloading of goods but also have ore crushing activities...
Grasping the initial information from the People's Committee of Cua Lo town, it was confirmed that the petition of the people of block 2-3 Nghi Tan ward was legitimate, and was soon grasped and gradually resolved. Specifically, as Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cua Lo town, Mr. Nguyen Quang Tieu said, on March 13, 2024, the Standing Committee of Cua Lo Town Party Committee held a working session with the Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone, Nghe An Maritime Port Authority, Nghe Tinh Port Joint Stock Company to agree on plans to handle environmental pollution and boat mooring areas for fishermen at Cua Lo Port. Mr. Nguyen Quang Tieu said: “On March 15, 2024, the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee announced the conclusion of the working session. In particular, regarding the issue of environmental pollution, specific solutions and responsibilities of relevant agencies were proposed. Currently, the People's Committee of Cua Lo town is carrying out these tasks; on April 25, it also organized a meeting with relevant parties to specify solutions to handle the existing problems at Cua Lo Port, thereby resolving citizens' petitions according to regulations...".
See Notice 378-TB/Thu dated March 15, 2024, to overcome the environmental pollution situation, the Standing Committee of Cua Lo Town Party Committee requested Nghe Tinh Port Joint Stock Company: "Coordinate with the People's Committee of Cua Lo Town to survey and develop a plan to build a road west of wharf 1 and wharf 2 adjacent to the residential area of Nghi Tan Ward. At the same time, plant trees, create buffer zones, separate corridors that can be used as roads to ensure the safety of the people. Develop an investment plan for a system of modern warehouses, wharves, waste and wastewater treatment systems, and innovate environmental pollution treatment technology in a streamlined, modern, and environmentally friendly direction...".
At the same time, assign the People's Committee of Cua Lo town to establish a working group to review and evaluate the report to the Standing Committee of the Town Party Committee for direction, and at the same time issue a document requesting the People's Committee of Nghe An province to establish a working group to develop a plan and solutions to fundamentally and permanently solve the problem of environmental pollution and the anchorage area of fishermen's boats in the Cua Lo Port area in accordance with regulations. Coordinate with Cua Lo Port to review the planning of planting trees, creating buffer zones, blocking dust, limiting noise, and corridors that can be used as roads to ensure the safety of people's lives and port operations...
Arriving at Cua Lo Port on April 26, 2024, in fact, in places where dust often spreads, such as storage areas 1A, 1B, internal port routes, port entrances, etc., there are activities to protect the environment. Specifically, on internal port routes, there are water tankers to create humidity to limit dust dispersion. At storage areas 1A, 1B, the iron ore yards are covered with tarpaulins; around the storage area, there is a net system with a height of about 9m, and a misting nozzle system to limit dust; in the yard, there are vacuum cleaners operating and cleaning. Also at storage areas 1A, 1B, the fence section adjacent to residential areas of block 2, block 3, Nghi Tan ward, has installed a 9m high net fence system to prevent and limit dust dispersion. At the port entrance, there is an automatic car wash system; after unloading, trucks pass through here to limit dust dispersion...
Officials of Nghe Tinh Port Joint Stock Company, as well as Cua Lo Port, admitted that the reflection of Nghi Tan ward residents was correct and that it was necessary to continue implementing environmental protection measures. That is, implementing the plan that has been developed and reported to the Town Party Committee and People's Committee of Cua Lo town; strictly implementing the Regulations on solving environmental pollution and anchoring boats and fish cages in Cua Lo Port area that were signed between Cua Lo Town People's Committee, Nghe Tinh Port Joint Stock Company, Nghe An Maritime Port Authority and Cua Lo - Ben Thuy Border Guard Station.
According to the Deputy General Director of Nghe Tinh Port Joint Stock Company, Mr. Tran Nam Hai, from mid-2022 up to now, Nghe Tinh Port Joint Stock Company has implemented solutions to purchase and provide tarpaulins to cover the ore storage area to ensure maximum dust reduction affecting residential areas in the surrounding area; arrange 3 sweepers, regularly vacuum according to the production plan to sweep, collect garbage in the cargo handling area; arrange 2 water trucks to humidify the roads and areas in the port and cargo yard; reinforce the 9m high dust net system at the cargo yards and dust nets at the fence area where the port meets the adjacent residential area... In addition, coordinate with the cargo owner to require drivers to strictly cover and cover the transport vehicles when entering and exiting the port with items that cause dust and environmental pollution; do not load or unload loose items that can cause dust in windy or tornado weather; Wash vehicles before taking goods out of the port and move slowly when passing through residential areas...
However, these solutions have not yet completely overcome the environmental pollution of dust and noise caused by the loading and unloading of goods at Cua Lo Loading and Unloading Enterprise. Therefore, the Company has directed to continue to strictly implement these solutions, around the third quarter of this year, planting trees to create a buffer zone between the Port and residential areas. At the same time, the 1A and 1B storage yards will not store powdered ores that easily emit dust.
Grasping information on the handling of petitions from people in Block 2 and Block 3, Nghi Tan Ward, it is known that on April 25, 2024, the leaders of Cua Lo Town People's Committee continued to work with Nghe Tinh Port Joint Stock Company, Nghe An Maritime Port Authority and Cua Lo - Ben Thuy Border Guard Station.
And to control and minimize environmental pollution in the Port and residential areas in Block 2, Block 3, Nghi Tan Ward, the People's Committee of Cua Lo Town requires Nghe Tinh Port Joint Stock Company and Cua Lo Loading and Unloading Enterprise to fully implement the committed contents. Accordingly, for the iron ore storage yard at Yard 1A, 1B near the residential area of Nghi Tan Ward, the relocation must be completed before June 1, 2024. During this time, it is necessary to continue to cover with dust-proof nets, cover with tarpaulins, increase watering, vacuuming, and spraying water at a continuous frequency to ensure environmental sanitation in the area. After June 1, 2024, when releasing bulk ore cargo, build a closed warehouse or bale warehouse to minimize dust and noise pollution according to the plan of Nghe Tinh Port Joint Stock Company.
Regarding the planting of trees to create a dust-blocking buffer zone, it is required to properly implement the commitment to plant casuarina trees and other trees as a buffer zone in September with a distance of 3m from the dust-blocking fence towards the inside of the Port. Inside the Port, it is required to strengthen environmental sanitation according to the approved Dust Treatment Project at Cua Lo Port of Cua Lo Stevedoring Enterprise; increase watering on traffic routes; fence areas to minimize dust caused by the import and export process; publicize measures to reduce environmental pollution for people to monitor...
Notably, the People's Committee of Cua Lo town assigned the People's Committee of Nghi Tan ward to establish a Community Monitoring Team to monitor environmental pollution reduction activities at Cua Lo Port. According to Mr. Phan Van - Deputy Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (People's Committee of Cua Lo town): members of the Community Monitoring Team will include representatives of socio-political organizations of the ward; Secretary, block head and representatives of people of block 2 and block 3. "The People's Committee of the town has established a Working Group to carry out the tasks concluded by the Standing Committee of the Town Party Committee in Notice No. 378-TB/Thu dated March 15, 2024. However, recognizing that the role of community monitoring is very necessary, will be regular and ensure objectivity, the People's Committee of the town has directed the People's Committee of Nghi Tan ward to urgently establish a Community Monitoring Team, at the same time, requesting Cua Lo Stevedoring Enterprise to support the Community Monitoring Team to operate soon and effectively..." Mr. Phan Van added.
