VietNamNet Bridge – Thanh Hoa Province on Monday fined a company VND160 million (US$7,100) for illegally discharging untreated sewage into the Am River, causing mass fish deaths last week.

The underground pipeline found at the Tan Vinh Company in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

Thanh Hoa’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment also suspended Tuan Vinh Production, Commercial and Transport Co Ltd from operation for three months for the environmental violation.

Earlier, on April 3 and 4, dead fish were spotted along a 10km stretch of the Am River that runs through the Lang Chanh and Ngoc Lac districts.

According to the department, an inspection team, which was sent to scrutinise Tuan Vinh Company on April 5, discovered an underground pipeline connecting the wastewater tank and the Am River. An experiment test proved that the pipeline was used to illegally discharge the untreated sewage directly into the river.

The wastewater discharge was said to be responsible for the mass fish deaths in the river, in addition to seriously affecting the water quality and residents’ lives.

This is the third time mass fish deaths have occurred in the Am River since last July. The previous incidents were caused by untreated wastewater discharge from wood factories in Lang Chanh District. 

VNS