VietNamNet Bridge – People who leave litter on streets or in urban drainage systems may be fined between VND500,000 (USD23.8) and VND1 million (USD47.6), according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s draft decree.

People who leave litter on streets or in urban drainage systems may be fined between VND500,000 and VND1 million.
 

The ministry held a seminar seeking opinions from different agencies for the draft decree on raising fines for individuals and organisations for environmental violations.

Under the draft decree, any person to ash their cigarettes in urban areas, trade centres, service areas or other public places will be subject to a fined of VND50,000 – 200,000.

The highest fines are held for those responsible for discharging residential waste containing radioactive substances, at VND1 billion (USD47,619) for an individual and VND2 billion (USD95,238) for an organisation.

Noise pollution will also be subject to fines of between VND50 million (USD2,380) and VND500 million (23,800).

The names of any establishment causing serious environmental pollution and public disruption be made public on the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment's website and in their printed newspaper.

Other punishments, such as temporary suspensions of licenses for operation or forced relocation may also be applied.  

If approved, the decree will take effect July 1, replacing the previous decree issued in 2009.

According to Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Bui Cach Tuyen, authorities of many localities have complained that the fines in the last decree, No. 117, remained low and were not a strong enough deterrent.

Source: DTriNews