Nearly 700 new polluters have been identified in HCM City, according to figures released by the city Department of Mineral Resources and Environment at a meeting with the city People's Council last week.

They were discovered during inspections as part of a programme that should have ended in 2007 but was never wound up.

The 698 businesses found are located mainly in the suburban districts of Binh Chanh, Hoc Mon, Binh Tan, and 12.

To tackle environmental problems, the department has sought opinions from businesses identified for relocation, plans to issue supportive policies and worked out schedules for mitigating the environment issues.

Under a relocation plan it has mapped out, in 2015 and 2016 authorities will focus on relocating 24 firms — out of the 698 —based in District 12's Dong Hung Thuan Ward.

The rest will be moved from 2017 onwards to the Hiep Phuoc, Le Minh Xuan No 3, Dong Nam, and An Ha Industrial Parks, according to the department of Mineral Resources and Environment.

Speaking to the People's Council delegation, which also supervised the relocation of some polluting businesses, Nguyen Van Phuoc, deputy director of the department, said nearly 1,400 enterprises had been relocated, persuaded to change their products or suspended under the programme.

Treatment plants are being set up and other measures are being taken by six firms, namely Viet Hung Fishsauce Plant; Sai Gon Dyeing-Textile Co.; Gia Dinh Textile-Garment Co.; Binh Loi Shipyard; Thang Long Paper Co.; and Ha Tien Cement Co.

VNS