Fish died en mass on the Buoi River in Thanh Hoa Province

The group, led by Luong Duy Hanh, chief inspector from the Vietnam Environment Administration, will work for 45 days beginning May 12 at the Hoa Binh Sugar Cane and Sugar Joint Stock Company, Hoa Binh Cassava Processing Plant and a local pig farm.

The inspection group will work with local authorities in Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa Provinces and various agencies including the Institute of Environmental Technology and the Academy of Science and Technology to take and study the water samples from the Buoi and Bang rivers, and check the waste water treatment systems at the three facilities.

Dozens of fish farming households in Thach Thanh District, Thanh Hoa Province are facing huge losses as their fish all died since May 4.

A report from the ministry showed that more than 17 tonnes of fish from 34 farms died while there was no report on the number of wild fish killed in the river.

 A local farmer and dead fish at his farm on the Buoi River in Thanh Hoa Province

Although local authorities have yet to find out the exact causes of the mass fish deaths here, Hoa Binh Sugar Cane and Sugar Joint Stock Company has admitted to releasing untreated waste water into the river and agreed to pay USD62,695 in compensation to local fish farmers.

Dtinews