Distraught locals worry about effects of the "devil's tree"

Residents of Khanh Hoa Province have been complaining about the strong fragrance of a blossoming tree called alstonia scholaris, or devil's tree.

An estimated 1,000 of these trees have been cultivated within close proximity in Nha Trang City. After their seasonal blooming in early fall, a number of residents in the area started complaining about insomnia and other symptoms caused by the flowers. Le Hong Phong, Dong Da and Bach Dang streets are among those most affected.

Tran Van Ly, who lives on Le Hong Phong Street, claimed that the trees were badly affecting his health, attributing such symptoms as headaches and sleepless nights to the scent.

The Oriental Traditional Medicine Association of Khanh Hoa Province has stated that these trees can cause allergic reactions, leading to the symptoms complained about by citizens. Although the municipality pledged to try to replace the species of trees, limited budgets have hindered their efforts.

Replacing trees in the city can be a hassle for homeowners, who are expected to foot the bill for any change in greenery requiring obvious manual labour. Any resident who wishes to have a tree cut down must pay for it, even with the approval of city officials. Each tree that is cut down must also be replaced at the resident's expense, making many wary of starting the process.

13 sailors rescued after collision at sea

The Da Nang Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre saved 13 sailors off the coast of the central province of Quang Tri on Sunday after an unknown ship hit and sunk their vessel.

The ships collided 56 nautical miles off the shore of Da Nang while the sailors were taking a rest around noon. No injuries were reported.

HCM City approves change to English curriculum

The HCM City People’s Committee has asked the Department of Education and Training to pull the plug on its pilot project and replace it with an integrated English teaching curriculum.

At present, mathematics and science have been taught in English at public schools under a pilot Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) teaching project.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan has assigned the Department of Education and Training to work with the UK Consulate General in HCM City to discuss problems involving the CIE project.

He also asked Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Hua Ngoc Thuan to finalize a report on the results of the pilot project.

Vaccinations to be supervised more closely

The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Sunday that it would provide more vaccination training after medical workers in the southern province of Dong Thap mistakenly injected 60 children with distilled water rather than rubella vaccine.

The incident occurred on October 14 at Sao Mai Kindergarten in Cao Lanh City's Ward 3.

Doan Tan Buu, deputy director of the Dong Thap Department of Health, said the medical workers were temporarily suspended.

Director of the Preventive Medicine Department under the MOH Tran Dac Phu said that it was the first time such an incident occurred. The distilled water was safe and did not affect the children's health, according to the Dong Thap Department of Health.

The children will receive the actual vaccine next month.

Animal horn found in luggage

About 6kg of animal horn suspected to be from a rhinocerous was discovered in the luggage of a passenger travelling from Bangkok to Ha Noi yesterday.

The customs unit at Noi Bai International Airport discovered the horn when examining the luggage of Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tu, 29, who later admitted that she was hired to carry it to Ha Noi.

The horn has been sent for further tests.

Poor families in Dong Nai to receive support

The southern province of Dong Nai will set aside VND2.5 trillion (US$117.8 million) from 2015 to 2020 to increase low-income households' access to healthcare, credit, education, housing and employment.

The province will use VND420 billion ($19.7 million) per year to support them.

The number of low-income households in the province, 7,000, could grow to 55,000 by 2015, a local official said, while 23,000 other households live close to the poverty line.

Two workers hurt in factory blast

An explosion at a household rice paper production unit in HCM City's Cu Chi District yesterday injured two workers.

The blast destroyed the unit's metal roof and caused its walls to collapse, damaging the roof of a nearby house.

According to local police, the explosion occurred because workers turned the pressure cooker up too high.

10th ASEAN Skills Competition successfully organised

The 10th ASEAN Skills Competition held in Hanoi from October 19–26 gathered 293 contestants from 10 ASEAN member countries competing in 23 occupational skills and two performance skills.

Cao Van Sam, Deputy Head of the General Department of Vocational Training under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and Deputy Head of the competition’s Organising Board, said all contestants strictly complied with the regulations and rules.

There were no big differences in qualifications among the contestants, who were required to compete fiercely with their rivals to win medals.

Vietnam was committed to organise the event in an impressive and just manner so results were evaluated by a council comprising representatives of all member countries, Sam said.

Deputy Head of the General Department of Vocational Training Cao Van Sam

The final results have not yet been announced, however, Vietnamese contestants at traditional skills like industry, construction, restaurant services performed in a manner consistent with previous competitions, Sam added.

New skills like welding, for which Vietnamese contestants have been weak, showed significant progress this year. This is attributed to changes in improved vocational training in recent years.

Training units closely coordinate with businesses to meet demands of both businesses and labour market, Sam concluded.

The closing and awards ceremony of the competition will be held on October 28.

Vietnam, RoK bolster cooperation in environmental protection

The Republic of Korea (RoK) will continue to support Vietnam in building and implementing policies on environmental protection, green growth, especially in pollution and waste control, development of environmental industry and technology, bio-diversity conservation and capacity building.

The statement was made by the RoK Minister of Environment Yoon Seong Kyo at the 11th Vietnam-RoK Environment Ministers Meeting held in HCM City on October 27.

During the event, Vietnamese Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) Nguyen Minh Quang and his RoK counterpart said that recent development in international cooperation in this field benefitted environmental protection, climate change adaptation and green growth acceleration in Vietnam.

The same day, the Korea-Vietnam Environmental Business Forum 2014 was held on the sidelines of the meeting, offering good opportunities for environmental managers and businesses of both nations to share experiences and expand cooperation.

On this occasion, MONRE also called on local businesses to actively cooperate with their RoK counterparts to share experience and enhance capacity.

Communication system developed in sea areas

The Prime Minister has ratified a planning on communication system development in sea boundary, sea and islands by 2020 to ensure all target localities are provided with public post services and equipped with basic broadcasting system.

By 2020, fixed telecommunication network and mobile broadband as well as digital television coverage will bring telecom services to island communes and districts within 100 kilometres from the coast.

Internet broadband systems and accompanying facilities will be upgraded to extend the coverage to individuals and organisations in sea border communes, 12 island districts and neighbouring areas.

In addition, the authority will develop VSAT networks as well as constructing fiber optic lines connecting the mainland to islands to serve the development of economics, tourism, security and national defence.

According to the planning, digital terrestrial TV network, Direct to Home (DTH) television and cable television services will be developed to provide high quality and diverse services for island localities.

Fishermen will be equipped with telecom devices using satellite technology to help them receive information on weather and fishing ground forecast while keeping relevant agencies updated on their location and marine security.

“Prevention is better than a cure” is the headline on leaflets police in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City have handed out to foreign visitors, especially those in the ‘backpacker area’, to provide them with tips to ensure their safety in the city.

The leaflets, titled “A few travel reminders for a hassle – free trip,” are presented in both English and Vietnamese and illustrated with images, providing useful advice on different activities for foreign visitors.

Regarding taxi usage, the leaflet says, “Ripping off unsuspecting passengers is an art form for dishonest drivers. Stick to reliable companies such as Vinasun and Mai Linh Taxi.”

It also advises foreigners to “remember that negotiating is not rude, but expected. Never settle for the initial offers, especially in tourist areas.”

In order to avoid having their belongings snatched, foreign visitors should keep their bags close to their bodies, avoid wearing precious jewelry and try not to be too flashy with their camera and phone, the leaflet says.

Telephones hotlines to contact police in emergency cases are also provided on the leaflets.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Phuoc, chief of Pham Ngu Lao Ward, said the backpacker area in the ward receives 500-1,000 foreign visitors from different countries every day.

Therefore criminals, both Vietnamese and foreigners, often operate in the area, attacking foreign travelers to steal their property, the official said.

Police officers have not only handed the leaflets directly to foreigners, but they have also provided them to restaurant and hotels in the city’s downtown so that they can deliver them to their guests, Phuoc said.

Most of the foreigners who received the leaflets were very happy and showed appreciation for the effort by police, the official added.

Local students awarded ASEAN scholarships

Twelve Vietnamese students, aged between 14 and 16, have received ASEAN scholarships to begin their study in Singapore.

The ASEAN Scholarship for Vietnam is tenable for 4 years leading to the award of the Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education ‘Advanced’ (GCE A-Level) (or equivalent) certificate.

After graduation, the students will have an opportunity to apply for scholarships to study at any Singaporean university.

Addressing the awards ceremony, Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam Ng Teck Hean, congratulated the 12 outstanding Vietnamese students, encouraging them to take the opportunity to learn more about Singapore and make new friends to help improve relationships between the two countries.

He added that this will further strengthen bilateral strategic partnership, established during the visit to Vietnam of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in September last year.

The scholarships, presented by the Ministry of Education of Singapore, provided a good chance for young students from ASEAN countries to develop their ability and skills.

Bkav to launch global network security contest

Bkav network security company plans to host a global WhiteHat Grand Prix Competition in 2015 with the aim of attracting the participation of both domestic and international hackers.

Previously, the WhiteHat Grand Prix Competition 2014 was successfully organised nationwide. At the final round held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City simultaneously on October 25, Bamboo team won the first prize, and received an award of VND100 million. REBD and Babyrobots teams took the second and third, receiving VND20 million and VND10 million, respectively.

Ngo Tuan Anh, vice chairman of BKAV, said the contest aims to boost study and research in network safety and security, thus increasing the quality of human resources for the national security network.

ASOCIO Summit to boost Vietnam-Japan ICT cooperation

The Asian-Oceania Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO) ICT Summit 2014, is set to take place in Hanoi from October 28- 31 with the participation of more than 700 delegates from 22 economies in the region.

At a press briefing ahead of the event in Hanoi on October 23, the organizing board said Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will be honourary guests.

The delegates will discuss the IT application in smart agriculture, health, and transport, human resources development, public services, opportunities and challenges for businesses.

Additionally, the focus will be on restructuring agriculture, building a new rural development model, and creating the Social, Mobile, Analytic and Cloud Services (SMAC)'s technology.

In the forum framework, the Japan ICT Day in Vietnam 2014 is to transpire on October 30 with a focus on developing human resources for Vietnam-Japan technological cooperation and bolstering business cooperation in major projects.

Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) said Vietnam-ASOCIO ICT Summit 2014 gives Vietnam a chance to learn global experiences in developing technology into a foundation for a new development method, creating a breakthrough in socio-economic development and changing rural and agricultural development models.

"The forum is expected to bring practical benefits not only to information and technology development but also to Vietnam’s socio-economic development, thus securing Vietnam’s foothold in the regional and global technological sector. "Binh stressed.

Initiated in 1984, the ASOCIO ITC Summit is designed to promote relationship between its members while developing the computing industry in the region.

Vietnam hosted the event for the first time in 2003, following the theme of "Digital Opportunities for Everyone”.

Vietnam eliminates use of ozone-depleting chemicals

Vietnam will completely abolish the use of more than 500 tonnes of HCFC-141b, a chemical that damages the ozone layer, in the production of thermal insulation foam by the end of 2014.

The move is part of the country’s efforts to reduce the use of HCFC substances by 10 percent from January 1, 2015 onwards, said Nguyen Van Tue, Director of the Department of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change under the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment.

The declaration was made at a workshop in Hanoi on October 21 to launch a project on the reduction of greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting substances (ODS) emissions through technology transfer in industrial refrigeration.

Between now and 2019, Vietnam plans to cut the use of HCFC substances, mainly HCFC-22, by 900 tonnes from 3,600 tonnes at present. The chemical is mainly used in refrigeration facilities, he added, noting that the country had already successfully eliminated the import and use of CFCs, halons and CTCs, which are also ozone-depleting substances, between 1995 and 2010.

As part of the project, Vietnam will choose alternative technologies and substances that are considered safe for the ozone layer and the climate system, as set out by the Montreal Protocol on ODS.

To assist the country’s efforts, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) worked with the department to design the project.

As a party to the Montreal Protocol since January 1994, Vietnam is obliged to eradicate the use of the ODS and is entitled to financial and technological assistance.

UNIDO Representative in Vietnam Patrick Gilabert said that as part of the project UNIDO and equipment suppliers will deliver hydrocarbon technology to businesses that use refrigeration facilities.

The success of the project will act a basis for further actions in the future, he added.

Art exchange helps boost Germany–Vietnam friendship

An art exchange was recently held in Berlin to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of the membership of the October Arts Club in the Germany–Vietnam Friendship Association.

Speaking at the event, Vietnam Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh expressed his high appreciation for the activities of the club and its contribution to strengthening the friendship between Vietnam and Germany.

Germany–Vietnam Friendship Association President Siegfried Sommer said that activities of the October Arts Club aim to advertise Vietnamese culture to German friends, helping to bring the two peoples closer together.

He expressed hope that more activities should be staged to mark 40 years of the Vietnam–Germany diplomatic relations next year.

Dong Nai: More fund allocated to poor households

The southern province of Dong Nai will set aside over 2.5 trillion VND (117.8 million USD) from its budget in 2015-2020 to help poor households have better access to health care, credit, education, housing and employment opportunities.

Of the approved sum, over 420 billion VND (19.7 million USD) will be used annually to support the households.

According to Vice Director of the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs, Lam Duy Tin, the current 7,000 poor households account for 1 percent of the province’s total.

The number is forecast to grow to 55,000 in 2015, or 7 percent of the total, in accordance with new classifications. Meanwhile, 23,000 other households are foreseen to live near the poverty line, Tin said.

Under a resolution of the provincial People’s Committee, in the 2015-2020 period a household with each member earning below 1 million VND a month in rural areas and below 1.2 million VND in urban areas is classified as poor.

Between 2011 and 2014, over 10,000 households god rid of poverty a year.

Communication system developed in sea areas

The Prime Minister has ratified a planning on communication system development in sea boundary, sea and islands by 2020 to ensure all target localities are provided with public post services and equipped with basic broadcasting system.

By 2020, fixed telecommunication network and mobile broadband as well as digital television coverage will bring telecom services to island communes and districts within 100 kilometres from the coast.

Internet broadband systems and accompanying facilities will be upgraded to extend the coverage to individuals and organisations in sea border communes, 12 island districts and neighbouring areas.

In addition, the authority will develop VSAT networks as well as constructing fiber optic lines connecting the mainland to islands to serve the development of economics, tourism, security and national defence.

According to the planning, digital terrestrial TV network, Direct to Home (DTH) television and cable television services will be developed to provide high quality and diverse services for island localities.

Fishermen will be equipped with telecom devices using satellite technology to help them receive information on weather and fishing ground forecast while keeping relevant agencies updated on their location and marine security.

Son La exerts more efforts to protect biodiversity

The northern mountainous province of Son La has approved a plan on biodiversity protection between 2014 and 2020 in an effort to protect the eco-environment, cope with climate change and ensure security and defence.

Under the plan, the province will protect four existing nature reserves namely the 6,311ha Copia in Thuan Chau district, the 18,020ha Sop Cop Forest in Sop Cop and Song Ma districts, the 16,553ha Ta Xua Forest in Bac Yen district, and the 18,116ha Xuan Nha Forest in Van Ho district.

It will also build a new reserve on an area of 20,000ha in Muong La district and a 247ha culture-tourism-environment preservation zone in Phu Yen district.

The Muong La forest boasts its high biodiversity with many endangered species, notably black gibbons that are now only found in Vietnam and China , Phayre’s langur, rufous-necked hornbill and Asian golden cat. They are under threat mainly due to increasing deforestation and illegal hunting.

Son La is now home to nearly 634,000 of forest, including 610,000ha of natural forest. The province expects to increase its forest coverage to 55 percent (779,600ha) by 2020.

Renewable energy water supply project benefits Mekong Delta provinces

Outcomes of a two-year project on water supply using renewable energy in the Mekong Delta region were reviewed at a recent workshop held in Can Tho City.

The programme, funded by the Danish Government, has constructed 32 wind and solar energy stations in 13 Mekong Delta provinces and cities to power water pumping, helping reduce electricity costs by 30-40 percent, it was reported at the event.

Experts also noted that the model also eases water stations’ dependence on the national electricity grid, thus ensuring uninterrupted water supply for residents in the project’s target areas.

A communication centre was established at Can Tho Water Supply Station to introduce the green water supply model run by renewable energy.

Nguyen Kim Quy, a senior official of Denmark’s Embassy in Vietnam, said the project had proved its practical benefit across Mekong Delta region.

The project was signed between the Danish Embassy in Vietnam and Can Tho’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in late 2011. It had a total investment of more than 17 billion VND (788,400 USD), of which some 14.6 billion VND (677,100 USD) came from Denmark’s official development assistance (ODA) loans.

The 13 Mekong Delta localities are An Giang, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, Ca Mau, Dong Thap, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Long An, Soc Trang, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh and Vinh Long provinces and Can Tho City.

Project helps Asian cities boost climate change resilience

A seminar was held in Hue city in the central province Thua Thien-Hue from October 21-23 to review the Mekong-Building Resilience to Climate Change in Asian Cities (M-BRACE) project in the 2011-2014 period.

The project was implemented in four cities of the Greater Mekong Sub-region, namely Hue and Lao Cai city in Vietnam, and Phuket and Udon Thani in Thailand.

Studies show that Vietnam is one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change, which negatively impacts on production, especially agriculture, and the economy in general, M-BRACE Director Kenneth MacClune said.

The project outcomes will help local authorities clarify priorities for future efforts to adapt to climate change, he added.

Vice Chairman of Hue’s People’s Committee Phan Ngoc Tho said his city in particular, and Thua Thien-Hue province in general, are prone to natural disasters, such as floods, storms, droughts, tidal surges, saltwater intrusion and land erosion, which are becoming more frequent, severe and unpredictable each year.

It is therefore crucial to identify the possible effects of natural disasters resulting from climate change in order to be able to develop appropriate response measures to minimise their impact on Hue, he noted.

Over the last four years, M-BRACE experts provided technical assistance to local officials on the development of climate change response plans.

Using the experience generated during the first phase, Thua Thien-Hue will continue the second phase of project implementation in an effort to improve its climate change resilience.

Vietnam faces difficulties in marine protected area management

Vietnam is facing a number of challenges in managing and conserving its marine protected areas, a workshop co-organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the General Department of Fisheries heard in Hanoi on October 21.

Vietnamese foresters still lack the necessary knowledge and law enforcement capacities, while tools and equipment for practical conservation measures have yet to meet the demand in island localities.

The exhaustion of natural resources in the surrounding areas is forcing local residents to illegally exploit natural resources in marine protected areas.

Experts suggested relevant offices review the planning of marine protected areas and re-evaluate the state of biodiversity with a view to making appropriate adjustments as the existing plan was made many decades ago.

Before establishing a marine protected area, authorities need to consider the locality’s socio-economic conditions to make sure conservation targets are realistically achievable, they said.

They also stressed the importance of engaging local residents in conservation.

Vietnam now has nine marine protected areas and plans to establish seven more in the 2015-2020 period.

Vietnam’s nine marine protect areas play a crucial role in sea-based economic development, a conference in Hanoi heard on October 21.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam highlighted the role of the conservation sites in improving fishermen’s livelihoods, safeguarding national sovereignty and addressing cross-border environmental issues in the East Sea.

He said the legal framework on marine conservation is for the most part completed, including the Biodiversity Law, the Law on Forest Protection and Development, and the National Strategy for the Management of Special-purpose -Forests and Marine Protected Areas for 2020.

Donald Macintosh, senior advisor for the Mangroves for the Future (MFF) programme, said marine conservation not only preserved biodiversity, but also cultural and historical values.

The programme will continue to support Vietnam in its efforts to protect mangrove forests and sanctuaries in a bid to improve residents’ livelihoods and increase their awareness of conservation.

Vietnam has established nine marine conservation areas in Cat Ba, Bach Long Vi, Con Co, Cu Lao Cham, Nha Trang Bay, Nui Chua, Hon Cau, Con Dao, and Phu Quoc.

Head of the MFF coordination department, Chu Ngoc Hoi, called upon ministries and sectors to help local authorities manage cross-border conservation sites and prioritise the sanctuaries located in key economic and defence positions, such as Bach Long Vi in Hai Phong northern city.

Deputy Minister Tam suggested developing policies that encourage the involvement of the local community, while expanding cooperation with foreign partners to seek financial and technical support.

Miners put lives, homes in danger

Many families in the northern mountainous province of Son La are living in fear as big stones from blasting hits their homes and covers them with dust.

Mai Son Cement JSC has been accused of threatening the lives of people in at least 16 homes in Hat Lot Township for several years.

Locals said the rocks that were hitting their homes were up to three kilogrammes in weight.

One resident, Nguyen Ngoc Anh, said rocks flew into his house whenever the company started blasting.

They had damaged his roof and the house shook every time the company opened a new area.

Another resident, Phan Thi Sim, said one rock smashed through her roof and fell onto a bed.

Residents said they had reported the problem to authorised agencies many times, but the situation has not changed.

According to a reporter, the company has built a fence around the stone exploitation site. However, it is not high enough to prevent rocks from landing on nearby houses.

Although the company always makes an announcement by loudspeaker before blasting, the rocks still smash into houses and injure people.

Some families living about a kilometre away from the site are still affected by the blasts.

Le The Thin, head of Resident Zone 18 far away from the blast site said that each blast felt like an earthquake. He said dust filled the air choking residents and animals.

Hoang Van Viet, deputy head of the mining company, admitted that rocks hit locals' houses.

However, he claimed that because the company did not check cracks in the houses before blasting, he was not sure when they occurred.

Viet said the company planned to build another fence surrounding the exploitation site and reduce the amount of dynamite to minimise the dust and flying rocks.

Medical waste incinerator completes trial phase

A seminar to evaluate a medical waste incinerator project built with Japanese technology was held this morning in the northern city of Hai Phong.

The project has been operational since January. The initial test results, collected by the Hai Phong Urban Environment One Member Limited Company, indicated that the incinerator meets all Vietnamese environmental protection standards.

The incinerator has been designed with the latest Japanese technology to process medical waste and harmful industrial waste.

The project is part of the co-operation programme between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Japan International Co-operation Agency.

Hai Phong trials waste incinerator

A medical waste incinerator in Hai Phong built by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) and the Japan International Co-operation Agency in Viet Nam (JICA) completed its trial phase on Thursday.

Constructed in January, the US$600,000 incinerator has been operational since March with initial test results collected by the Hai Phong Urban Environment One Member Limited Company (URENCO) indicating that the incinerator satisfied most of the requirements set out in the 2012 Viet Nam Environmental Standards by MONRE.

"The incinerator is going to be of great assistance to the city's effort to manage and process medical waste," said Le Ngoc Tru, director of URENCO.

The Hai Phong Department of Health estimated the city's hospitals created around 7,500 kg of medical waste per day, of which 800kg was solid toxic waste.

The city's old incinerator built in 2002 is now outdated and not designed to process such a large amount of medical waste.

Tru said the incinerator built with the latest Japanese technology offered more than three times the capacity at 200kg per hour for 50 per cent less fuel consumption compared to the old incinerator.

It is also safer for workers to operate due to its automatic waste handling system that allows workers to process waste from a safe distance.

However, test results from water used for the incinerator did not meet Vietnamese standards and needed to be collected and processed separately in the nearby Trang Cat industrial waste treatment compound.

Air and water from neighbouring areas were also tested and came back with satisfactory results.

Kimura Mitsumasa, director of the Industrial Waste Association from Fukushima, said medical waste had to be labelled and transported using specific vehicles and trained workers.

Phung Chi Sy from VITTEP, a HCM City-based environment institute, said workers should be trained and able to categorise medical waste to maximise the incinerator's efficiency by creating optimal mixtures of waste for the burning process.

Masuda Chikahio, senior representative of JICA Viet Nam, said the project, funded with Japanese Official Development Assistance, was part of a larger programme to encourage small-to-medium-size Japanese companies to transfer technology to Viet Nam.

At a seminar to evaluate the project's trial phase on Thursday, representatives from other provinces' health and environment sectors showed interest in the application of the incinerator.

VNN/VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/ND