Residential areas drown in waste while waiting for new treatment plant
Quang Ngai authorities hold dialogue with residents over pollution
Quang Ngai residents protest over foul waste treatment site

Nghia Ky waste treatment plant is being built in central Quang Nam Province’s Nghia Ky Commune. — VNA/VNS Photo Sy Thang

In a document sent to the company, Chairman of the committee Tran Ngoc Cang asked the company to quickly install the second incinerator system and complete the trial run before August.

The committee has assigned the provincial Department of Planning and Investment to co-ordinate with relevant agencies to regularly monitor construction progress.

It has also asked the agencies to help the company deal with any difficulties and speed up construction. The results must be reported to the committee.

The company will have its investment licence revoked and face penalties if it fails to complete construction on time.

The committee has asked the People's Committee of Tu Nghia District, where the plant is located, to tell local people to stop actions that are hindering the operation of the plant.

Nguyen Tan Phap, branch manager of the North Investment and Development Construction JSC, told Vietnam News Agency the company was committed to putting the plant into operation as soon as possible.

However, it would be difficult to meet the September 30 deadline because installing the second incinerator and operating it for a trial period would take a lot of time.

Currently, the plant is testing the first incinerator. The second incinerator is expected to be installed by the end of this month.

Phap said the most difficult problem for the company was financing. More VND30 billion (nearly US$1.3 million) would be needed to complete the project.

He said the company would not be able to borrow commercial capital as the first incinerator had not yet gone into official operation.

The company was seeking other sources of capital, he said.

On July 6, 2018, local people in Tu Nghia District’s Nghia Ky Commune set up barriers to block garbage trucks from entering Nghia Ky landfill as a way of protesting the pollution caused by the landfill.

The province held talks with local residents and agreed to temporarily transport garbage to Dong Na landfill in Quang Ngai City.

On average, about 250 tonnes of garbage are discharged every day in the province.

VNS