Actively attracting many waste treatment projects with advanced technology and environmental friendliness

Continuing the second session of the 18th term Nghe An Provincial People's Council, term 2021 - 2026, on the afternoon of August 12, the Provincial People's Council held a discussion in the hall.

Panorama of the discussion session in the hall on the afternoon of August 12. Photo: Thanh Cuong

9 YEARS, TERMINATION OF 195 SLOW PROGRESSING PROJECTS

At the discussion session, delegate Ho Van Dam (Quynh Luu unit) raised the situation of many projects that have been granted land for many years but have not been implemented and suggested that the province handle these projects, especially those that use land for the wrong purpose. At the same time, he suggested that the Provincial People's Committee attract many waste treatment projects, in which priority is given to projects with modern technology that are friendly to the environment.

Delegate Ho Van Dam requested the province to handle projects that lease land but do not implement it or use it for the wrong purpose. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Responding to this issue, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc - Director of the Department of Planning and Investment said that from 2012 to now, the province has established 8 interdisciplinary inspection teams and inspected 588 projects, and has so far terminated 195 projects.

In 2020 and the first 6 months of 2021, due to the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Provincial People's Committee decided to temporarily suspend the inspection of slow-progressing projects by the interdisciplinary inspection team. However, the review of slow-progressing projects was still directed by the Provincial People's Committee to urge investors to speed up progress, and at the same time have a plan to handle projects that are too slow.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc - Director of the Department of Planning and Investment clarified the issue raised by delegate Dam. Photo: Thanh Cuong

On May 26, 2021, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 3282/UBND-CN, assigning the Department of Planning and Investment to report and clarify the selection criteria for 84/239 projects proposed for inspection in 2021. Review and classify 239 projects based on existing legal procedures; preliminary status of project implementation.

In 2021, 9 projects were terminated, canceling related legal procedures; bringing the total number of terminated projects to date to 195, with a total land area of ​​120,450 hectares.

Regarding waste treatment projects, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc - Director of the Department of Planning and Investment said that currently in the province there are 3 projects using incineration technology (Nghia Dan district, Nghi Loc district and Hoang Mai town). Currently, the Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone is attracting waste treatment projects to generate electricity.

The situation of backlog at landfills in many localities is becoming complicated. In the photo, the Tan Lac town landfill is located right at the corner of Highway 48 and next to the training ground of the Quy Chau District Military Command. Photo: TD

To clarify this issue, Mr. Hoang Quoc Viet - Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment also added that there are currently many businesses applying for investment policies in many localities. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment will coordinate with departments and branches to attract waste treatment plants with advanced, modern, and environmentally friendly technology.

PROPOSAL TO COMPLETELY DEAL WITH ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Delegate Nguyen Cong Van (Nghi Loc unit) expressed his opinion that currently, environmental protection work has not been strictly implemented by many companies and units, and penalties are not yet deterrent.

Delegate Nguyen Cong Van (Nghi Loc unit) proposed to completely resolve the environmental pollution situation in the area. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In Nghi Quang and Nghi Yen communes (Nghi Loc), voters said that the environmental pollution caused by Minh Thai Son Joint Stock Company (Nam Cam Industrial Park) and Nghi Yen Solid Waste Treatment Complex has not been completely resolved.

Clarifying this issue, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Hoang Quoc Viet said that Minh Thai Son Joint Stock Company (located in Nam Cam Industrial Park) was correct in causing environmental pollution as suggested by voters. On August 11, the Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone established an inspection team and requested the company to stop operations to correct its environmental pollution.

In addition, it is recommended that Minh Thai Son Joint Stock Company convert to another type of production that is more environmentally friendly. In the coming time, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment will coordinate with the Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone to continue the issues at Minh Thai Son Joint Stock Company.

Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Hoang Quoc Viet clarified the environmental pollution situation at the Nghi Yen Solid Waste Treatment Complex. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Regarding the environmental pollution situation at Nghi Yen Solid Waste Treatment Complex (Nghi Loc), the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment emphasized that the voters' reflection on the environmental pollution situation here is well-founded. When there was a wastewater leakage incident at the landfill, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment came to direct the remediation and coordinated with the Provincial People's Committee to direct sectors and localities to implement a number of solutions to overcome the leakage and environmental pollution incident.

Specifically, the company is required to operate according to approved procedures, build a wastewater treatment system to ensure the environment, relocate resettlement areas, continue to build landfills to reduce the load; and invest in converting capacity with more modern technology.

PROPOSAL FOR INCLUDING PROJECT LAND MANAGEMENT MONITORING PROGRAM

Speaking at the discussion session, delegate Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee proposed that the Provincial People's Council consider, discuss and add the topic of monitoring land use management at investment projects in the province to the draft Resolution on the Monitoring Program of the Provincial People's Council for the 2021-2026 term.

Delegate Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Chairwoman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee proposed that the Provincial People's Council include the topic of monitoring land use management at projects in the Resolution of the Provincial People's Council's Monitoring Program. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The delegate emphasized that in the past time, the Provincial People's Committee has made great efforts in directing, seriously and resolutely handling slow-progressing projects. This is demonstrated by the period 2016-2020, the province established 4 interdisciplinary teams, revoked 70 projects, 1 part of 1 project. According to the report for the first 6 months of the year, the province has granted 51 new projects and terminated 6 projects and has reviewed results of 239 slow-progressing projects.

“However, the consultation on handling slow-progressing projects is still confusing, with signs of avoidance and fear of conflict. One of the basic reasons is related to project land,” delegate Sinh emphasized, saying that many projects were granted land but did not implement it or only implemented a few items for show.

Not to mention that according to preliminary statistics, the progress of implementing the province's projects is relatively slow, nearly 2 years after the investment policy was approved, they were completed and put into operation. And the consequences of this problem, according to the Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, are wasting land and losing the confidence of investors, losing opportunities for capable investors, affecting the socio-economic development goals, especially in the 2016-2021 term. And it also affects the improvement of the province's investment environment and people's jobs.

In order to improve the investment and business environment, increase the efficiency of investment attraction, and create stable jobs for Nghe An workers, without having to go far away to work, affecting their lives and children's education, delegate Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee also said that this is one of the three breakthroughs of the Resolution of the 19th Provincial Party Congress, the People's Council needs to consider, study and participate in supervision, contributing to the good implementation of the province's breakthroughs in the coming time.