A senior government leader warned that the nation will pay more dearly for having neither a vision nor a full understanding of environmental protection, as he sounded the alert on rampant violations of environment law, with violators becoming more cunning and sophisticated in their actions.
Addressing the third National Environment Conference in Hanoi on Nov. 18, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong emphasised the need to put vision and understanding in every planning decision, plan and project from central to grassroots level.
“Environmental protection must be a task of the entire political system and every single citizen. Ministries, sectors and localities should regard environmental protection as their prioritised duty,” the Government leader said.
Noting improvements in the quality of the environment, Trong reflected that this improving process had been still slow as pollution continued to occur, particularly in the lower areas of the Cau, Nhue and Day rivers in the north and the Saigon and Dong Nai rivers in the south.
Improper exploitation of natural resources, illegal hunting and trading of wild plants and animals and the import of harmful foreign creatures were causing environmental pollution and challenging protection efforts, he said.
However, Trong recognised the establishment of a system of State environmental protection management agencies from central to grassroots level and a furtherance in policies and laws pertaining to environmental protection.
From 2005 to 2010, 66 under-law documents, including 23 governmental- level documents and 43 ministerial-level ones, were stipulated, helping shape a comprehensive and consistent legal system for the stronger protection of the environment throughout the country.
According to incomplete statistics, about 60 strategic projects to assess the environment have been carried out and 7,000 invested projects have conducted environmental impact assessments since 2005.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is watching the treatment of hazardous wastes at the Hyundai-Vinashin shipbuilding plant, the Bai Bang paper plant, the Lam Thao chemical plant and the Miwon mill.
It is monitoring the implementation of environmental assessment at the Lam Dong and Nhan Co-Dak Nong bauxite complex and has completed the settlement of payments for economic and environment damage caused by the Vedan monosodium glutamate company for farmers living along the Thi Vai river which runs through Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces./.
Addressing the third National Environment Conference in Hanoi on Nov. 18, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong emphasised the need to put vision and understanding in every planning decision, plan and project from central to grassroots level.
“Environmental protection must be a task of the entire political system and every single citizen. Ministries, sectors and localities should regard environmental protection as their prioritised duty,” the Government leader said.
Noting improvements in the quality of the environment, Trong reflected that this improving process had been still slow as pollution continued to occur, particularly in the lower areas of the Cau, Nhue and Day rivers in the north and the Saigon and Dong Nai rivers in the south.
Improper exploitation of natural resources, illegal hunting and trading of wild plants and animals and the import of harmful foreign creatures were causing environmental pollution and challenging protection efforts, he said.
However, Trong recognised the establishment of a system of State environmental protection management agencies from central to grassroots level and a furtherance in policies and laws pertaining to environmental protection.
From 2005 to 2010, 66 under-law documents, including 23 governmental- level documents and 43 ministerial-level ones, were stipulated, helping shape a comprehensive and consistent legal system for the stronger protection of the environment throughout the country.
According to incomplete statistics, about 60 strategic projects to assess the environment have been carried out and 7,000 invested projects have conducted environmental impact assessments since 2005.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is watching the treatment of hazardous wastes at the Hyundai-Vinashin shipbuilding plant, the Bai Bang paper plant, the Lam Thao chemical plant and the Miwon mill.
It is monitoring the implementation of environmental assessment at the Lam Dong and Nhan Co-Dak Nong bauxite complex and has completed the settlement of payments for economic and environment damage caused by the Vedan monosodium glutamate company for farmers living along the Thi Vai river which runs through Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces./.
