The Thi Vai River is contaminated by discharged waste water from Vedan’s factories. And many more incidents have occurred in provinces from the north to the south.
Questions have been raised about state environment management agencies' actions: when the environment incidents occurred; how the environment monitoring system worked; and why the enterprises could discharge untreated waste water so easily.
State agencies may not be capable to fulfill their task, or enterprises may have bought off watchdog agencies, which turned a deaf ear to the violators.
In principle, when an incident occurs, state agencies will have to follow the procedure of monitoring, sampling and testing, which is complicated and financially consuming. In the context of the current budget, it is not feasible to allocate bigger budget for environmental monitoring.
Experts believe that it would be better to allow third-party independent institutions to be involved.
At present, monitoring the environment is the task of the state and enterprises which discharge waste.
The third party independent institutions acting as environment auditors, however, would get involved in the process of supervising waste discharge.
The expenses during the monitoring process will be paid by those who discharge waste under economic contracts.
In principle, it is the State which will set up environmental standards and this function must not be undertaken by any private institution. Only the monitoring services, examination and assessment of the waste will be open to third parties.
Marketizing the services would help ease the workload burdening state management agencies, thus allowing the agencies to focus on key problems.
Second, this will allow capable private companies to participate in the environmental monitoring process. Third, it would ease reliance on the state budget.
Fourth, the transparency in environmental monitoring will minimize the opportunities for embezzlement.
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State agencies
The operation mode of the environmental monitoring institutions needs an overhaul as the country Is facing serious environmental problems as a result of an unsustainable development model. |
State agencies may not be capable to fulfill their task, or enterprises may have bought off watchdog agencies, which turned a deaf ear to the violators.
In principle, when an incident occurs, state agencies will have to follow the procedure of monitoring, sampling and testing, which is complicated and financially consuming. In the context of the current budget, it is not feasible to allocate bigger budget for environmental monitoring.
Experts believe that it would be better to allow third-party independent institutions to be involved.
At present, monitoring the environment is the task of the state and enterprises which discharge waste.
The third party independent institutions acting as environment auditors, however, would get involved in the process of supervising waste discharge.
The expenses during the monitoring process will be paid by those who discharge waste under economic contracts.
In principle, it is the State which will set up environmental standards and this function must not be undertaken by any private institution. Only the monitoring services, examination and assessment of the waste will be open to third parties.
Marketizing the services would help ease the workload burdening state management agencies, thus allowing the agencies to focus on key problems.
Second, this will allow capable private companies to participate in the environmental monitoring process. Third, it would ease reliance on the state budget.
Fourth, the transparency in environmental monitoring will minimize the opportunities for embezzlement.
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