Nearly 544 organisations and individuals were fined VND38 billion (US$1.74 million) in 1,183 environmental administrative inspections conducted in the first six months of this year.

A waste dump at Ninh Binh Province's Nho Quan District. Nearly 544 organisations and individuals were fined VND38 billion (US$1.74 million) in 1,183 environmental inspections conducted in the first six months of this year.

This was revealed at a meeting on Wednesday to review the management of natural resources of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE).

The sector has proposed to the government that they withdraw 1,426 hectares of land.

The MONRE has also processed 1,719 petitions, most of which are on land disputes, and settled 922 out of 1,820 cases with its relevant responsibilities in the first half of this year.

The licensing and management of mineral resource exploitation has faced several problems with regard to environmental protection, according to the participants.

They agreed that the sector ought to intensify inspections and effectively handle petitions.

At the meeting, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Minh Quang asked relevant agencies to continue the auctions of the right to exploit mineral resources and implement activities to reduce environment pollution. 

VNS