The Dong Nai river is put under the control of many agencies

Besides the river encroaching project implemented by Toan Thinh Phat Company, Nguoi Lao Dong reporters have discovered three cases of filling up and encroachment Dong Nai River so far this year.

When reporters met local authorities, who did not have information about the cases. 

Meanwhile, local residents said that they had lodged complaints to local authorities, but complaints went unheeded. 

As a result, the Dong Nai River, which provides water to serves daily life and irrigation, is getting more and more polluted, affecting the lives of millions of people.

The Dong Nai River is not only managed by the provinces where it runs through, but also by the Dong Nai River Basin Management Board established in 2001 and the Environmental Protection Committee of the Dong Nai River Basin (Dong Nai River Committee) established in 2008.

However, since the establishment, the two committees still have not exercised their role in the programming management and environmental protection of the Dong Nai River. Many controversial problems have arisen, but the two organizations have stayed outside.

On September 13, 2008, the Environment Police discovered a company illegally discharging untreated waste water into Thi Vai, a branch of Dong Nai, affecting 21,000 hectares of agriculture land on the river sides. 

The court said the company had to compensate VND120 billion for the damages caused to farmers. 

Meanwhile, the Dong Nai River Committee did not make a statement about the case.

“There was a long debate between farmers and the company which discharged untreated waste water. But the committee did not do anything during that time,” said Nguyen Van Thanh, a farmer affected by the waste water discharge.

Some years ago, the public was stirred up by the news that Dong Nai 6 and Dong Nai 6A hydropower projects would be built on Dong Nai River. 

The Vietnam River Network (VRN), mass media and people protested projects which were believed to harm Dong Nai. Meanwhile, the two committees kept silent.

Most recently, the Dong Nai River was once again threatened by the river filling project implemented by Toan Thinh Phat in 2015. 

Scientists had warned that the project would change the natural flow and increase the pollution risks.

However, Le Anh Tuan from the Can Tho University said the two river protection committees remained silent as if this was not their business.

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Chi Nam