VietNamNet Bridge - Mass fish deaths in the central region. Environmental accidents in many localities. Despite these events, people do not receive support from local authorities, though they must pay many environment taxes and fees.

Fishermen in the communes of Tinh Hai and Nghi Son in Thanh Hoa province have been in difficulties as fish died en masse September 6-9. 

Local fishermen said they have to pay the environment fee indirectly when buying petrol and oil for fishing, production and transport. 

In 2015-2016, people have to pay VND3,000-4,000 in environment protection fee for every liter of petrol and oil they buy. 

A report shows that in 2016, the revenue from environmental protection taxes and fees was VND38,000, while spending was VND12.29 trillion.

A series of environmental accidents have occurred this year, including the waste sludge reservoir burst at CKC’s lead & zinc plant in Cao Bang province; the mass fish deaths in Dong Nai, Thanh Hoa and Hanoi; air pollution caused by the Vinh Tan thermopower plant in Binh Thuan province and serious pollution caused by waste water from the Phu Tho Waste Treatment Plant.

Fishermen in the communes of Tinh Hai and Nghi Son in Thanh Hoa province have been in difficulties as fish died en masse September 6-9.

The most serious environmental catastrophe was the mass fish deaths in the central coast caused by waste water from Formosa Ha Tinh, a steel complex.

Dang Huy Huynh from the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE) commented that the expenditure on environment protection works is inappropriate.

Huynh said too many problems still exist, from urban to rural areas, from waste treatment to waste discharging source control. Vietnam still does not have enough environmental monitoring stations and waste treatment plants even in Hanoi and HCM City. 

“If black canals still exist and produce bad odors in urban areas, we cannot say the investment in environmental protection is sufficient,” he said.

Huynh said it was necessary to make the environment fees more transparent. 

People pay environmental fee in the hope that they can live in a healthy environment. As they pay money for services, they have the right to demand acsafe environment and  to complain once services given to them are not good enough. 

“If the money from environmental fee has not been used up, we need to ask if the fee is too high,” Tran Du Lich, a National Assembly’s Deputy, commented.

“However, I believe that the fee is not high. Therefore, it is necessary to reconsider agencies’ responsibility in fee collection and spending,” he said. 

CV