Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha was grilled about serious pollution in Nhue and Day rivers at the National Assembly on October 30, the first day of Question-and-Answer at the NA’s on-going 6th session.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha at the Question-and-Answer session

The minister said pollution of rivers, especially those flowing across several localities, should be addressed at the root of the problem.

Therefore, he said a master plan is needed for solving pollution in river basins, including the two rivers mentioned by the NA deputies.

The minister also urged local administrations to conduct surveys on sources of waste discharge and select suitable models for treatment in the direction of mobilising investment from all economic sectors.

He also noted the need to clarify the State’s responsibility for investing in infrastructure and assessing companies’ technology and capacity in waste treatment. The mechanism for calculating waste treatment costs also needs to be revised.

Asked about solutions to pollution at industrial parks and clusters and craft villages, Minister Ha said his ministry has required industrial parks to work out their roadmap for building concentrated waste water treatment facilities. However, the problem at industrial clusters remains a headache due to limited human resources and investment in waste treatment.

According to the minister, the management of industrial clusters should be intensified as many production facilities using backward technology, particularly those involved in waste recycling, have been moved to those clusters in the recent past.

He said his ministry, along with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, will conduct more inspections and checks with a view to revising environmental standards and criteria for industrial clusters and craft villages.-VNA