VietNamNet Bridge – A lot of communes throughout the country have not been recognized as new-styled rural areas because of the … local industrial production development.

Tan Nhut commune in Binh Chanh district in HCM City was expected to be recognized as meeting the requirements to become a “new-styled rural area” at the end of 2013. However, the commune still has to settle a serious problem – the environment pollution.

IZs put difficulties for new-styled rural areas

Tan Nhut is located between the two seriously polluted canals, B and C which are some 10 kilometers long. While B has been “poisoned” by the waste water from the Le Minh Xuan Industrial Zone (IZ), C has been polluted by the IZs in the upper course.

The B canal has turned black because of the dirty water. In principle, the waste water from Le Minh Xuan IZ goes through the three sewers 6, 7 and 8 before flowing to B canal. However, since the other sewers have been closed, the waste water has been flowing to the sewer No. 8.

Nguyen Van Nhung, a local resident, pointing to the black smelly water, said the pollution has been existing for the last many years already. “This is from Le Minh Xuan IZ. When it rains heavily, the water would flood the gardens, rice fields and houses,” Nhung said.

The same problem has been faced by the local in Xuan Thoi Son commune of Hoc Mon district. The 4.5 kilometer An Ha canal has become the obsession for the local people. It is now the “rendezvous” point of the waste water from the IZs in the upper course and from the production enterprises in the locality.

According to Truong Duc Khoa from Hamlet 5, there are some 10 enterprises operating in the hamlet. On a short stretch of Dang Cong Binh road, there are 5-7 alcohol and iron production workshops.

“Two of them have been fined by the local environment department. However, things have not improved,” Khoa said.

Most recently, A Chau Paper company was imposed a fine for the environment law violation. Phan Muoi and Thanh Dat, the two alcohol production workshops, which have no proper waste water treatment systems, has been forced to stop some phases of production.

Behind the production workshops are the small arroyos which receive waste water directly from the workshops before going to the An Ha canal. The arroyos have also become black and smelly.

IZs spoil “new-styled rural area” development program

The aim of the “new-styled rural area” development program is to create the modern, civilized villages and communes, thus bringing a new face to Vietnamese rural area.

Nevertheless, the IZs with their untreated water and have blocked the way towards the new-styled communes.

In order to be recognized as the new-styled communes, rural areas have to satisfy 19 criteria, including the 17th one on the environment standards.

Deputy Chair of Tan Nhut commune Mai Vuong Khanh complained that the great efforts by the local people have been worn away by the IZs.

“We have many times asked the competent agencies to punish enterprises for discharging waste water to the environment. But the problem still cannot be settled at the root. The enterprises still continue discharging waste water to the commune,” Khanh complained.

Dan Viet