Traffic cameras to become operational in October

The installation of traffic cameras along several pilot stretches of the Phap Van–Cau Gie and Noi Bai–Lao Cai expressways will be completed by October 1.

Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Hong Truong said at a meeting yesterday that penalties would be imposed in accordance with the violations caught on the cameras.

Truong asked the Viet Nam Expressway Corporation, FPT Telecom joint-stock company and Hanel Company to quickly select the type of cameras and their positions on the highways.

As per the plan, 74 traffic cameras will be installed along the two expressways.

Bomb detection project kicks off in Ha Tinh

A project to detect and defuse unexploded bombs left behind after the war in an area spanning over 2,500ha was launched today in central Ha Tinh Province's Dong Loc Junction.

The two-year project, valued at VND83 billion (US$3.8 million), was financed through official development assistance from the Japanese government.

It is estimated that some 16,500ha of the province contain undetected unexploded bombs.

Quang Nam finds illegal timber hidden in river

Quang Nam Province's economic police and the Hiep Duc District forest management force yesterday salvaged a large quantity of timber that had been submerged by loggers in the Tranh River.

Earlier, on receiving reports from local residents, police and rangers discovered that timber of unclear origin had been hidden in the river in the central province.

They went along the river to check and discovered three areas where a large quantity of timber had been collected on either side of the river.

A day later, they could salvage just 7cu.m of timber because of the depth of the river, a police official said.

Some illegal loggers used motorboats to drag the timber to the middle of the river where they dropped the load and fled, Dang Van Tien, deputy head of district's forest management office, said.

The sunken timber was expected to be dozens of cubic metres in volume, about a quarter of which had been retrieved, Tien said.

He said the timber was from Phuoc Son District.

Taking advantage of the water from the hydroelectric power plant, loggers had illegally transported wood to the river for sale.

The incident is under further investigation.

Last September, rangers in Nong Son District had discovered a large number of precious timber hidden in streams.

HCM City to raise car registration fees by 5 times from September

Ho Chi Minh City will increase registration fees for new private cars smaller than 10 seats from September 1 by 5.5 times from the current VND2 million (US$95.2).

On July 29, delegates of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council approved a draft resolution on registration fees for new vehicle registration.

Registration fees for new cars of less than 10 seats and not operating in the transport sector will be increased by 5.5 times to VND11 million.

Container truck registration will rise to VND150,000 from VND100,000.

For motorbikes, authorities want the fees raised by 1.5 times. Those worth less than VND15 million will cost VND750,000 to register, rising to VND3 million for more expensive motorbikes.

Vietnam Summer Camp concludes in Ho Chi Minh City

The Vietnam Summer Camp in Ho Chi Minh City, which saw the participation of more than 160 overseas Vietnamese youth from 21 nations and territories, came to an end on July 30.

Participants laid down floral wreaths at the Ho Chi Minh statue, paid tribute to the fallen soldiers at the Ben Duoc memorial temple and visited the historic Cu Chi tunnels.

Thien Truc, who returned to Vietnam from Germany, said he wished to become a singer and perform Vietnamese songs overseas to help international friends learn more about Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Van Anh, an overseas Vietnamese from Laos, said this was the first time she participated in the summer camp and was able to discover the numerous local historic sites.

“I made unforgettable memories on my trip and it made me love the country more”, she added.

This year’s event, “Proud of Vietnam”, enabled participants to visit numerous historical and cultural relic sites, such as the mausoleum of the late President Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, the Hung Kings Temple in northern Phu Tho province and Ho Chi Minh’s homelands in central Nghe An province.

The youngsters also paid tribute to the late General Vo Nguyen Giap at his tomb in central Quang Binh province, and visited Truong Son cemetery, the Vinh Moc tunnel complex and Quang Tri ancient town in central Quang Tri province.

The annual summer camp aims to help Vietnamese expatriates understand the country’s history, development and international integration process, Vice Chairman of the Foreign Ministry’s State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Le Quoc Thinh said.

It also offers a great chance for overseas Vietnamese youth to share experiences with each other and improve their Vietnamese language skills, he added.

Safety of adolescent girls on public transport discussed

A workshop held in Hanoi on July 30 discussed the safety of adolescent girls in urban areas and on public transport.

The event was jointly organised by Plan International Vietnam, the Hanoi Public Transport Management and Operation Centre (TRAMOC) and the Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS).

The workshop took place as part of a project carried out from February 2014 to December 2015 to ensure the safety of adolescent girls on public transport in Hanoi, according to Deputy Director of ISDS, Duong The Binh.

The initiative aims to develop a legal framework to protect adolescent girls and the population at large in urban areas, Binh said.

Alana Livesey from Plan International said the programme involved girls between the age of 13-18 in five cities throughout the world, namely Hanoi (Vietnam), Cairo (Egypt), Delhi (India), Kampala (Uganda) and Lima (Peru).

As many as 20 radio programmes on gender equality, sexual harassment and gender-based violence were broadcast on the national transport channel of Voice of Vietnam (VOV) every Monday.

More than 330 bus drivers and conductors in Hanoi were trained on gender equality and gender-based violence in public spaces, and how to help female passengers in case they experience sexual harassment or violence.

Some 10,000 adolescent girls travel by bus in Hanoi every month.

During the workshop, some girls shared their own stories about safety on public transport.

Vietnam to attend KL Converge in Malaysia

A Vietnamese delegation will participate in the three-day communications expo KL Converge at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in the Malaysian capital from August 27-29.

The Vietnamese delegation includes the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Vietnam Television (VTV), Voice of Vietnam (VOV), Vietnam Internet Association, Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), Vietnam Mobile Telecom Services Company (VMS), and Saigontourist Cable Television Company.

The delegation will introduce the development of communications in Vietnam and showcase a wide variety of products and solutions in 15 pavilions.

It is also scheduled to participate in a number of regional seminars and workshops taking place as part of the exhibition.

Attending the platform for the second time, Vietnam aims to promote its natural and cultural beauty, as well as its innovations in a number of fields, including communications, information technology and television broadcasting.

KL Converge 2015, jointly organised by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Ministry for Communications and Multimedia, is expected to see the participation of relevant groups from other nations in the Southeast Asian region, as well as China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

The exhibition aims to provide networking opportunities, popularise relevant policies, promote investment prospects, and share experiences and innovative ideas.-

Health Ministry lacks cash for satellite hospitals

A Ministry of Health’s plan to build additional satellite hospitals across the nation and upgrade existing ones lacks money and qualified personnel, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien has said.

Tien said the scheme, started two years ago, involved transferring advanced medical techniques to new satellite hospitals in every city and province, if and when they were established.

At present, there are 46 satellite hospitals throughout Vietnam linked to a particular city hospital. Satellite staff are trained and given technical updates by that hospital.

In Hanoi and HCM City in the past two years, the Ministry has built 14 new satellite hospitals and sent top medical staff to teach new medical techniques.

In north Vietnam, 21 out of 28 district general hospitals have been linked to big city hospitals in Hanoi. Tien said that as the initial satellite hospital project had brought good results, the Prime Minister wanted the Ministry to introduce the model to all provinces.

To keep the scheme in operation, the Ministry wants local governments in cities and provinces to allocate funds to upgrade satellite hospitals and foster medical expertise. The Ministry will continue to provide training to medical workers of hospitals in districts.

Two years ago, 14 central hospitals throughout Vietnam were chosen by the Ministry as core facilities responsible for transferring advanced medical techniques to 46 satellite hospitals in 38 provinces and cities.

"Local authorities have to invest more to save lives," she said. "They have to build new buildings, provide more beds to reduce overloading and transfer advanced medical techniques to lower-level hospitals " she said.

At present, the Ministry is working with the banking sector to find ways for local governments to borrow money for satellite hospitals. "An increasing number of patients want top treatment. If hospitals can improve the quality of treatment, they will quickly recoup their investment. Therefore satellite hospitals should not hesitate to borrow funds," she said.

She hinted that the cost of medicinal services would soon rise, saying this would enable hospitals to collect more funds.

JICA-funded forest management project under review

A conference to review the project Sustainable Forest Management in the Northwest Watershed Area (Susform-Now), funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was held in Hanoi on July 30.

The Susform-Now project, implemented in northern Dien Bien province during the 2010-2015 period, focused on policy support, sustainable forest management, the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+), biodiversity conservation and knowledge sharing.

It helped raise public awareness on forest management while providing technical support for local livelihoods and forest management activities.

JICA plans to expand the provincial REDD+ Action Plan (PRAP) to three other northwest provinces.

Vietnam is among the countries most severely affected by climate change, which is partly caused by greenhouse gas emissions from land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF).

Due to unsustainable forest management, Vietnam’s forest coverage rate fell from 43 percent in 1943 to 28 percent in 1995. Although forest land has increased to 40 percent in recent years, forest degradation is still strife in the northwest region, triggered by overexploitation of forest resources and land conversion for various purposes.

Vietnam carried out the National RED+ Action Plan (NRAP), which regulates the implementation of the PRAP by 2015, to improve forest management and climate change resilience.-

Financial shortfall hinders upgrade of old reservoirs

Several reservoirs in southern Khanh Hoa Province have reportedly fallen into a serious state of disrepair, leaving them unsafe, especially during the stormy season, as they may burst without warning.

However, a shortfall in finances, estimated to reach VND1 trillion (US$46 million), has hindered the provincial authorities' progress on rebuilding and upgrading the 10 reservoirs in the province.

In Dien Khanh District's Dien Tan Commune, Lang Nhot, with a capacity of 2.1 million cubic metres, and Cay Sung, with a capacity of nearly 0.5 million cubic metres, spaced several metres apart, have severely deteriorated.

The two reservoirs were built more than 30 years ago to provide irrigation water to farmland of hundreds of households in the commune. Cay Sung reservoir's dam has corroded, and many parts of it have eroded. These parts were being held up by soil alone for a while.

After several downpours, the soil eroded, settling at the bottom of the reservoir and creating a hazard for residents nearby.

Mang To, a member of the Raglai ethnic minority group living near the reservoir in Dien Tan Commune, said he only felt secure during the dry season between January and June as the reservoir contained little water.

Other reservoirs such as Da Mai, Am Chua in Dien Khanh District, Dong Bo in Nha Trang City and Suoi Trau in Ninh Hoa Township are facing the same situation.

Phan Thong, head of the provincial People's Council's Economics and Budget Committee, said the province had approved many projects to upgrade the irrigation infrastructure, especially the reservoirs built more than 10 years ago, but there was currently no capital to implement these projects.

One project to upgrade Lang Nhot reservoir was approved in October 2011, but the project has still not been implemented. Other projects to upgrade the Da Mai and Suoi Trau reservoirs won approval in October 2009 and October 2011, respectively, but they have remained in their deteriorated state.

Thong said the provincial People's Committee had proposed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development borrow money from its project of ensuring the safety of the reservoirs. The proposal is under consideration by the Government.

The council has also asked the committee to develop a plan for building irrigation infrastructure for the period 2015-25, which would mobilise capital from organisations and individuals that could be used to dredge and consolidate the reservoirs.

Ha Noi to plant new trees on Nguyen Chi Thanh Road

About 247 trees will be planted along the Nguyen Chi Thanh Road to replace the trees that were felled earlier, said Vo Nguyen Phong, deputy director of Ha Noi Construction Sector.

According to the directions of the chairman of the city's People's Committee, the sector will co-ordinate with relevant agencies to plant new trees on Saturday, Phong said.

Last week, the sector held a meeting to elicit opinions from scientists and experts to choose the suitable trees for planting, said Prof, Dr Vu Hoan, head of Ha Noi Science and Technology Association.

After checking out all the trees planted in Ha Noi, they decided to choose five species of trees that were conducive to the soil and weather here and would grow well, will be less vulnerable to termite and will be storm resistant, Hoan said.

These trees have been also planted in some streets in Ha Noi, he added.

The total cost for planting these is being contributed by the union of Ha Noi Police.

North braces for landslides, floods

Heavy rain is forecast to continue in the country's Northeast until at least Saturday night.

"Local authorities must remain vigilant and well prepared to deal with landslides and flooding to ensure the safety of residents," said the head of the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Cao Duc Phat, during an online meeting yesterday with regional authorities. Phaut is also Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Hoang Duc Cuong, director of the Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said heavy downpour was expected to continue in Quang Ninh and Lang Son Provinces until tomorrow.

Heavy rain until Tuesday was also forecast in other provinces, such as Cao Bang, Bac Can, Ha Giang. Falls could measure 100-300mm.

Landslides and flooding are also expected in lowland cities such as Hai Phong, Nam Dinh and Thai Binh, which have already been drenched. At the weekend, floodwaters in neighbouring Quanh Ninh Province wrecked the water-supply system and killed many householders .

Water level in the Hong-Thai Binh Rivers System is forecast to rise by two to seven metres as the rain continues.

Chairman of the Quang Ninh People's Committee, Nguyen Duc Long, said all available manpower and resources were dealing with damage caused by the historic rain.

The chairman said Quang Ninh authorities had ordered the evacuation of all local residents in areas with high-probability of landslides and established round-the-clock disaster controls.

Le Thi Thanh Nhan, director of the Lang Son Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the province was compiling a list of areas prone to flash flooding and landslides to plan evacuations if necessary. The province also reported that a 10-year-old went missing during a flood in Chi Lang District, 350ha of agricultural crops destroyed and numerous roads damaged.

Minister Phat urged local authorities to ensure the safety of people, especially those living beside rivers and streams and areas prone to landslides.

Ethnic victims of slavery return home

Fifty four people, mostly young women and children, were brought back to Viet Nam yesterday after being sold into slavery in China.

The victims, mostly from ethnic minority groups, returned through the Thanh Thuy International Border Gate in northern Ha Giang Province. They had been told to work as prostitutes and labourers.

Their rescue was due to an anti-human trafficking co-operation campaign by border authorities in both countries.

Ha Giang Province authorities arranged accommodation for the group before they return to their families.

Entrepreneur donates Rolls-Royce Phantom to flood victims

A Vietnamese entrepreneur has given support to flood victims in the northern province of Quang Ninh in the form of a supercar, which will be auctioned to get cash for relief activities, a local newspaper reported.

The donor had delivered the car, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, to Quang Ninh newspaper for auction, its editor-in-chief Nguyen Tien Manh, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on July 29.

The benefactor is Dao Hong Tuyen, 61, a well-known businessman who is the chairman of Tuan Chau Group, which is headquartered on Tuan Chau Island in the province’s Ha Long City.

Tuyen is dubbed “King of Tuan Chau Island” because he has been developing a huge project there.

Besides the Tuan Chau International Tourism & Recreation Complex on the island, Tuyen also owns many companies and plants with tens of thousands of workers, according to newswire zing.vn.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom car donated by Dao Hong Tuyen, chairman of Tuan Chau Group, based in the northern province of Quang Ninh, to local flood victims.

The vehicle will come under the hammer at an expected starting price of VND16 billion (US$733,000), Manh said.

The donation was made after local authorities appealed for contributions to help the victims of floods following prolonged downpours that have battered Quang Ninh over the four days starting July 26, Manh added.  

Along with the luxury car, which has been handed over to the Quang Ninh newspaper’s charity fund, this benefactor also contributed VND2 billion (US$91,700) in cash to the provincial Relief Board to help the flood victims.

Manh said his newspaper will have an auction unit organize the sale of the supercar.

“We will try to sell it as soon as possible to get cash to buy relief for the flood victims,” he added.

As of Wednesday, the floods killed 17 people and left six others missing, causing damage estimated at more than VND1.5 trillion (over US$68.7 million) in Quang Ninh, the provincial Steering Board for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue reported.

More than 3,700 households have been affected by the floods that began to recede on July 29, authorities said.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that heavy rains will keep hitting northern Vietnamese provinces until August 4, possibly together with flash floods and landslides.

Accordingly, downpours will continue raging in the northern region, especially in Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Lang Son and Bac Giang Provinces, and mountainous areas from July 30 to August 4, the center said.

Overseas Vietnamese youth visit HCM City

Young Vietnamese expatriates who are taking part in the 2015 Vietnam Summer Camp on July 29 visited Nha Rong Wharf in Ho Chi Minh City where late President Ho Chi Minh left the nation to seek ways for national salvation.

At Independence Palace, young people were explained about the unique history and special architecture.

On July 31, Vietnamese young expatriates will visit Cu Chi tunnels as part of their final destination at the summer camp, and take part in the closing ceremony of the 2015 Vietnam Summer Camp.

The 2015 Vietnam Summer Camp, themed “Proud of Vietnam”, hosts youth aged between 16 and 25, serving as a bridge that links the country with the world.

Shortcomings found in collection of land fees

Shortcomings have been found in the collection of land-use fee from individuals and organis-ations who want to change the use of the land they lease from the State, a conference was told in Ha Noi yesterday.

The conference was organised by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment to discuss perfecting current laws and regulations covering land use, said Nguyen Thang, deputy director of the institute.

Bui Ngoc Tuan, from the Viet Nam Land Association, said that Decree No.45, issued in 2014 to instruct agencies to implement the law, regulated that an individual or organisation, who wanted to transfer land-use purpose from agricultural land to commercial land, such as open a restaurant or hotel, did not need to pay a land-use fee.

However, individuals and organisations who want to transfer land-use from agricultural land to build homes for sale are still required to pay the fee.

"This is unfair to those who want to do business in the housing sector," he said.

Tuan also said that, to avoid paying fees, residents were transferring farm land to housing land without telling authorised agencies.

Tran Tu Cuong, from the institute, said that the methods of evaluating land for land-use fees was inadequate.

It has caused losses for the State Budget, he said.

Participants at the conference recommended that agencies should conduct review the implementation of land law in all localities.

Several reservoirs in disrepair

Several reservoirs in coastal central Khanh Hoa Province have reportedly fallen into a serious state of disrepair, leaving them unsafe, especially during the stormy season, as they may burst without warning.

However, a shortfall in finances, estimated to reach VND1 trillion (US$46 million), has hindered the provincial authorities' progress on rebuilding and upgrading the 10 reservoirs in the province.

In Dien Khanh District's Dien Tan Commune, Lang Nhot, with a capacity of 2.1 million cubic metres, and Cay Sung, with a capacity of nearly 0.5 million cubic metres, spaced several metres apart, have severely deteriorated.

The two reservoirs were built more than 30 years ago to provide irrigation water to farmland of hundreds of households in the commune. Cay Sung reservoir's dam has corroded, and many parts of it have eroded. These parts were being held up by soil alone for a while.

After several downpours, the soil eroded, settling at the bottom of the reservoir and creating a hazard for residents nearby.

Mang To, a member of the Raglai ethnic minority group living near the reservoir in Dien Tan Commune, said he only felt secure during the dry season between January and June as the reservoir contained little water.

Other reservoirs such as Da Mai, Am Chua in Dien Khanh District, Dong Bo in Nha Trang City and Suoi Trau in Ninh Hoa Township are facing the same situation.

Phan Thong, head of the provincial People's Council's Economics and Budget Committee, said the province had approved many projects to upgrade the irrigation infrastructure, especially the reservoirs built more than 10 years ago, but there was currently no capital to implement these projects.

One project to upgrade Lang Nhot reservoir was approved in October 2011, but the project has still not been implemented. Other projects to upgrade the Da Mai and Suoi Trau reservoirs won approval in October 2009 and October 2011, respectively, but they have remained in their deteriorated state.

Thong said the provincial People's Committee had proposed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development lend funds from its project of "ensuring the safety of reservoirs to adapt to climate change". The proposal is under consideration by the Government.

The council has also asked the committee to develop a plan for building irrigation infrastructure for the period 2015-25, which would mobilise capital from organisations and individuals that could be used to dredge and consolidate the reservoirs.

Central city debuts fishing logistics fleet

The central city of Da Nang has introduced a fishery logistics co-operative, the second one since last year, to boost the offshore fishing trade in the city and central region.

Le Thanh Sang, Chairman and Director of the Hai Nhi co-operative in Hai Chau district, said the co-operative's logistics fleet, which includes four ships with a 90CV-1,600CV capacity, will supply fuel, ice, food, fresh water and necessities for longer trips involving 60 offshore fishing trawlers in Da Nang and other central provinces.

Sang said the mother ships of the fleet could purchase 500 tonnes of seafood from fishing boats each month.

Last year, the deep-sea fisherman Sang also launched his own 100-tonne steel mother ship equipped with the latest technology.

In June, Son Tra district also introduced a fishery logistics co-operative.

Under normal circumstances, fishing boats typically waste many days going to and from the port to unload fish, stock up on food and refuel.

The central city's People's Committee has approved an eight-year deep-sea fishing production project worth 1.1 trillion VND (52 million USD).

The project is aimed at increasing productivity and providing bigger and better high-capacity vessels equipped with the latest technology.

This includes the development of a fleet of 400 trawlers by 2020, most equipped with global positioning and fish-detection systems.

The central city, which has 15,000sq.km of fishing grounds, has a fleet of 2,300 fishing boats, of which 699 are deep-sea trawlers.-

More Quang Binh fishermen to receive shipbuilding loans

The central province of Quang Binh has map out a plan to provide financial assistance for local fishermen to build and upgrade 80 more fishing vessels and five logistics vessels by 2016.

The plan was revealed by the local People’s Committee on July 30 at a conference reviewing the first-phase implementation of a programme on fisheries development under Government Decree 67.

Under the plan, in the second of half of this year, 22 fishing vessels will be built for districts, towns and cities in the province, according to the local steering committee for the programme.

So far, as many as 17 fishing shipbuilding projects have been approved by the local People’s Committee, including six iron-covered and 11 wood-covered ships worth a total of 95.23 billion VND (4.45 million USD).

Local branches of the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) have signed 10 credit contracts worth 73.64 billion VND (3.44 million USD) with individuals and units.

Nearly one third of the amount (21.02 billion VND) has been spent on building eight ships, including one ion-covered and seven wood-covered ships. Three have been launched and put into operation.

The local steering committee has received 51 applications for off-shore insurance worth nearly 2 billion VND (93,457 USD). Only 13 are eligible for fishing tools and fishermen insurance coverage .

Decree 67, issued last year, stipulates provisions for fisheries development, including supporting fishermen in building high-capacity, iron-covered ships designed for offshore fishing.

Commercial banks nationwide have pledged about 14 trillion VND (658 million USD) in loans for organisations and individuals wishing to build new ships or upgrade their existing fishing vessels. Borrowers must be approved by municipal or provincial authorities.

As many as 2,079 new off-shore fishing ships and 205 logistics ships will be built under this decree, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

WB-funded water supply project added 20 mln USD loan

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has given the nod for the first phase of the “Urban Water Supply and Wastewater” project to receive an additional 20 million USD loan from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank (WB).

The deputy prime minister requested the Ministry of Investment and Planning in coordination with the Ministry of Construction to work with the WB to allocate the additional loan to project components while the State Bank of Vietnam was appointed to work out the loan transfer method.

The “Urban Water Supply and Wastewater” project includes two components. Its first component, including 14 sub-projects, aims to upgrade water supply and wastewater drainage systems in 10 provinces nationwide, such as Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh, Nghe An, Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Kien Giang, Lam Dong, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc and Kien Giang and the second one involves technical support from the Ministry of Investment and Planning and the Ministry of Construction.

The WB-funded project has a total investment of 236.2 million USD, including 200 million USD sourced from the IDA.

Carried out from 2011-2016, the project has completed about 57.4 percent of its works and disbursed 45 percent of its budget.

Austria funds another radiation system for Hue central hospital

Hue central hospital officially put into use another advanced cancer treatment radiation system on July 30 funded by the government of Austria.

The Axesse elekta, worth 6 million USD, will facilitate the treatment of 30 complicated surgeries per day.

Deputy Director of the Hospital Pham Nhu Hiep hailed the efficiency and safety of the system, saying it helps lessen complications during treatment.

In March this year, the hospital also received a 6-million cancer treatment radiation system from the government of Austria.

Salt water increasingly attacks Vietnam’s Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s biggest granary, home to a widespread network of rivers and canals, has been threatened by the rising level of salt water flowing into rice fields and farms.

There have been warnings about such a situation for years, but authorities in Vietnam have failed to work out measures to solve the issue.

Climate change has become more serious and its adverse impacts can be seen now in the region, not just in forecasts as before.

Many areas have no fresh water, and saline water has increased amid the rainy season. Other areas have experienced land subsidence along the banks of rivers.

During this month, which is part of the rainy season, many areas in the Mekong Delta have been ravaged by an increase of salt water in rivers and canals. More importantly, the areas had not been through such a situation for decades.

Hung Phu Commune in My Tu District of Soc Trang Province is one example.

Fruit trees have withered and aquaculture has been badly affected by the presence of saline water.

“We have never seen this situation in the area before,” said Vo Van Dep, who has 25,000 fish on his farms.

“Several days ago, aquatic plants floating along the river’s surface were faded. Now all my fish are suddenly dead,” he complained.

“We can treat it if a fish dies from diseases, but we give up when it’s gone because of water like this.

“It cost me VND160 million [US$7,400] to buy the young fish. They were to be harvested next month.”

Around 70 households raising fish in Hung Phu have suffered great damage caused by salt water.

In addition, 700 hectares of fruit gardens along the Quan Lo – Phung Hiep River have been badly affected, as locals cannot use the water from the river for irrigation.

Nguyen Hoang Co, vice head of the agriculture department of My Tu, said the salinity of water of the river has surged to 0.4 – 0.5 percent recently.

Local residents have had to bathe with saline water first and rainwater later to save fresh water.

Le Phuoc Dai, head of the irrigation network unit of Hau Giang Province, admitted that the sudden increase of saline water in recent days has hit hard many areas of Soc Trang and Hau Giang Provinces.

About 18,000 hectares of agricultural land in Hau Giang is now affected, he added.

The situation is even worse in Kien Giang, Ca Mau and Bac Lieu Provinces, which border the sea.

Farmers have fled from their rice fields to find other jobs in carpentry, sales, and others in cities.

Doctor Le Anh Tuan, vice head of the Research Institute for Climate Change under Can Tho University, explained that the intrusion of saline water into rivers in the Mekong Delta is the result of the low fresh water level in those rivers.

The upstream areas of the Mekong River in Laos and Thailand are now facing a severe drought, Tuan added.

It is forecast that rain will come to these areas by at least the middle of next month, so the intrusion of saline water in rivers in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta will be alleviated by that time, he said.

Threat of food poison increases in industrial zones

It is high time to set alarm bells ringing about food poisoning as there were two food poisoning cases in two concessive weeks causing hundreds of workers to be hospitalized in the southern province of Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City.

The government has neglected control over material and hygiene condition in food caterers for workers in factories, companies, industrial parks and export processing zones

Two food poisoning cases raised workers’ concern lately. Nearly 200 workers at Meraki factory in Song Than Industrial Zone in the southern province of Binh Duong were hospitalized on July 22 as they suffered pain in belly and diarrhea; some of them also vomited.

One previous week, nearly 100 workers of Lap Sinh Leather Company in Linh Chieu Commune in HCMC’s Thu Duc District were also taken to hospital for food poisoning after dinner on July 15. Because workers received timely treatment, they are all safe.

The Food Administration of Vietnam under the Ministry of Health had to conduct an investigation of food poisoning in Simone Company in Tan Huong Industrial Park in the Mekong delta province of Tien Giang in April causing 120 workers to be hospitalized.

One day before, nearly 300 workers of a company in Long Hau Industrial Park in the Mekong delta province of Long An were rushed to hospital for food poisoning. The number of poisoned workers is so many that hospitals in HCMC had to send medical workers to help their counterparts in Long An.

According to the Food Administration of Vietnam, during 5 years, the country had 84 food poisoning cases in industrial and export processing zones, infecting 6,566 workers and hospitalizing 6,059. Though there have been no report of death, infected cases tend to increase.

Food could become contaminated at any point during slaughtering or harvesting, processing, storage, distribution, transportation and preparation, reported the administration.

Through investigation, related agencies concluded that a meal for workers cost too cheap. Deputy head of the Department of Food Poisoning supervision under the Food Administration Cao Van Trung said that he surprised to know a meal in Meraki FW Company cost just VND15,000-16,000 (US$0.68-0.73) adding that food caterers could not use good and fresh ingredients for meals at such cheap price.

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long has recently said at a meeting on food safety in the northern province of Thai Nguyen that through investigation inspectors realized that many enterprises ordered a meal at VND10,000-12,000 (US$0.45-0.54) including profit for food caterers.

Chief of the city’s Department of Food Safety and Hygiene Huynh Le Thai Hoa said that the city has had  3,618 collective kitchens and 124 food caterers. However, as per a study carried out by the city Nutrition Center, 30 percent of workers in industrial zones suffer malnutrition. This is a danger especially for pregnant workers  and  female workers.

According to the World Health Organization’s warning, Vietnam may be marked as the country with fastest increasing rate of cancer in the world because of using dangerous chemicals to mix with food.

More toll stations to go up in city

HCMC plans to erect four more toll stations from 2016 to 2025 to recover investment capital for build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects, according to a report which the city has forwarded to the Ministry of Transport.

The projects include building a road linking Nguyen Duy Trinh Street and Phu Huu Industrial Zone in District 9, a road connecting Vo Van Kiet Street and HCMC-Trung Luong Expressway, and an intersection at Nguyen Van Linh and Nguyen Huu Tho streets, and upgrading National Highway 22.

For the National Highway 22 upgrade project, the city suggested the ministry place only one toll station in the city because the ministry plans to build another station on this road in Tay Ninh Province.

HCMC now has six toll stations, including the Hanoi Highway station that will be in place until 2045, Binh Trieu Bridge station until 2032 and An Suong-An Lac station until 2033 while those at Phu My Bridge, Nguyen Van Linh Street and Saigon River Tunnel have not been put into operation.

By 2025, the city is expected to have 10 toll stations. Aside from stations built by the city government, they are Long Phuoc Tollgate in District 9 collecting tolls for HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway and another in Binh Chanh District for HCMC-Trung Luong Expressway.

Many transport companies have complained about a labyrinth of toll stations in the city, saying some of them violate the Ministry of Finance rule that requires two nearest toll stations to be 70 kilometers apart.

Speaking at a government meeting in May, Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang said that approval from the Finance Ministry and local authorities was always sought for toll stations that are less than 70 kilometers apart.

Regulatory framework for climate change programme discussed

Officials from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MONRE) and other stakeholders met in Hanoi on July 29 to share ideas toward accelerating the completion of the 2016 regulatory framework for the Support Programme to Respond to Climate Change (SP-RCC).

In his remarks at the meeting, MONRE Minister Nguyen Minh Quang said the SP-RCC, implemented since 2010 as a joint effort of six donors and 10 ministries, has been provided approximately 1 billion USD in sponsorship and helped develop more than 200 climate change related policies and specific projects to date, the minister noted.

It has raised the awareness of climate change impacts among the public as well as state governor bodies, resulting in the inclusion of climate change related actions in development plans and policies at national, regional and local levels, he added.

The design of the SP-RCC for 2016-2020 began in 2014, with 30 content items proposed, he said, adding that stakeholders have approved 8 items, leaving 22 others on the table.

During the meeting, the attendees focused their discussion on 19 proposal contents for the regulatory framework for 2016 and for the 2016-2020 period regarding a roadmap on reforming fuel subsidies, assistance to build a national plan of action on reducing greenhouse gas emission in cement production in Vietnam, a roadmap to apply vehicle emission standards and climate change mitigation in the Mekong Delta region.

Two other items will be discussed by technical groups while an item is determined to be part of tasks for this year.-

Hilton Worldwide supports local charity foundation in book printing

Hilton Worldwide has awarded the Hilton Hanoi Opera a US$3,000 Travel with Purpose Action Grant to support Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, an Australian charity working with children in Vietnam, to produce a photo book entitled Hanoi Works featuring the evolution of work in Vietnam in hospitality, as well as other sectors.

All proceeds from book sales will go directly to expanding opportunities for vocational training and shelter for the children and young people. Blue Dragon assists over 1,500 of the most vulnerable children throughout Vietnam every year, including street kids, children with disabilities, children from rural families living in extreme poverty, and victims of human trafficking and slavery.

Hanoi Works will be launched at the Hilton Hanoi Opera later in 2015 at a special exhibition designed by Hilton and Blue Dragon staff. The book will be sold at the hotel as well as selected outlets in Hanoi.

The Travel with Purpose Action Grant program, now in its third year, is part of the company’s global efforts to recognize and encourage collaboration to address local and global challenges. Hilton Hanoi Opera is one of 100 winners around the world to receive a 2015 Travel with Purpose Action Grant.

This grant provides funds to Hilton Hanoi Opera for an on-site project, or one with a local organization that provides unique engagement opportunities for local teams and creative approaches to address social and environmental challenges. These projects align with the company’s four focus areas, including creating opportunities for individuals to reach their full potential; strengthening local communities; celebrating cultures and the positive impact of travel; and living sustainably through the measurement, analysis and improvement of the use of natural resources.

“Study in France” forum kicks off nationwide on Saturday

Campus France Vietnam- a national agency for the promotion of higher education, international student services, and international mobility under the management of the Embassy of France in Vietnam, in conjunction with the Vietnamese Students’ Association in France (UEVF) to host 10th “Study in France” forum in Hanoi, HCMC, Danang and Hue, starting from August 1.

The event aims to help local students have better preparation for their study in France. It is organized by Vietnamese students in France who currently have a summer break in Vietnam. They will share experience and knowledge with future students. The forum is where participants can find information on paper works, accommodations, job opportunities and students’ life. There are consulting desks to help solve concerns and questions of students.

The events will respectively take place at University of Civil Engineering in Hanoi on August 1 from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; the HCMC University of Social Sciences and Humanities in HCMC’s District 1 on August 2 from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; at the Danang College of Technology on August 3 from 1:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; and at Hue University on August 3 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Further information can be found at www.facebook.com/DiendanDuhocPhap.

Traffic crashes kill 24 Vietnamese every day, new figures show

The National Traffic Safety Committee has reported a total of 12,910 traffic accidents nationwide so far this year, with 5,167 people killed and 11,484 others injured.

This means around 24 people were killed in crashes on a daily basis, or one death per hour.

Statistics released on July 29 showed a reduction both in the number of cases, down 12.4%, and fatalities, down 3.8%.

So far this year, traffic police have issued fines in more than 2.4 million cases and collected nearly VND1.6 trillion (US$73.3 million). They have seized more than 25,000 cars and 288,000 motorbikes.

More than 202,200 drivers had their driving licenses revoked for serious violations.

Waterway traffic police issued fines of more than VND62 billion against 107,500 violators.

Over 43 million motorbikes have been registered in Vietnam, or 85% of all vehicles nationwide. That is far exceeding the 36-million target set for 2020.

This year alone, 1.89 new motorbikes and more than 175,000 new cars have been allowed to hit the streets.

Vietnam hands over newly-built high school to Lao province

A school built with funding from the Vietnamese government, was inaugurated in the northern Lao province of Luang Namtha on July 29 after 18 months of construction.

Implemented by authorities of Vinh Phuc and Luang Namtha provinces, the project has an investment of 75 billion VND (3.57 million USD) and is the second funded by Vietnam’s non-refundable aid.

The new Vieng Phu Kha high school, covering more than 1,300 sq.m, has a three-storied building with 40 classrooms, a meeting hall, a library and two lounge rooms for the faculty.

The Lao government paid for site clearance, lighting, water and electricity supplies, and fence around the football pitch, cost nearly 9 billion VND (428,000 USD).

Deputy Chairman of the Laos – Vietnam Cooperation Sub-committee Khampheuy Keokinnaly, in his speech, hailed the project as a symbol of the special friendship and solidarity between the two Parties, States and peoples.

Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Luang Namtha province Pheththavone Philavan vowed to put the Vietnamese government’s gift to its best use over the long term, contributing to educating young generations about the special ties between the two countries.-

Lao Cai ready for forest management project implementation

The northern mountainous province of Lao Cai has readied itself for implementing the project “Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity as a Measure to Decrease CO2 Emissions”, the local project steering board said on July 29.

The project, also known as the KfW8 project, has a total investment of 84.3 billion VND (about 3.9 million USD) funded by concessional and non-refundable official development assistance of the German Government.

Lao Cai has set up project management boards at the provincial and district levels, designed a plan on project financing and completed relating administrative procedures.

To improve the capacity of project implementation, the steering board will focus on personnel training. Accordingly, workshops, technical and financial training, and experience exchanges with other provinces benefiting from the project will be organised during the remaining months of 2015.

Under the project, biodiversity surveys in the Hoang Lien nature reserve in Van Ban district will be conducted. The project will also assist the design of a nature sanctuary in Bat Xat district and organize community-based forest patrols.

Lao Cai is one of the five provinces carrying out the KfW8 project from now to 2021. The others are Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Ha Giang and Bac Kan.

Road leading to new bridge falls apart

A new road leading to Co Chien bridge connecting the two Mekong Delta provinces of Ben Tre and Tra Vinh has been seriously downgraded just two months after it was opened to traffic.

The road was part two of the Co Chien bridge construction project. Part one, the bridge itself, was finished and opened to traffic in May.

The 1.6-km four-lane bridge crossing the Co Chien River was built at a cost of nearly VND2.3 trillion (US$105 million) from the State budget and investors.

Financed by the State, the 9km road leading to it cost VND997 billion (US$45.7 million) was then built or upgraded.

Started in 2011, the whole project was completed 15 months earlier than scheduled.

A resident living by the road leading to the bridge in Thanh Thoi commune in Mo Cay Nam district in Ben Tre Province said that one month after the bridge opened, pot-holes appeared leading to it from the former Co Chien ferry landing. After heavy rain, it degraded even further.

Nguyen Chung Khanh, general director of a project managing board under the Ministry of Transport, said that the road now faced severe subsidence. He blamed the situation on lorries weighing more than 10 tonnes which regularly use it. The road is officially limited to lorries and loads weighing less than 10 tonnes.

The project managing board asked the consortium of companies involved in the project to make immediate repairs to the road.

A total of 285 screws used to fix railings to the bridge have also been stolen. Residents complained there were not enough left to secure the railing.

Traffic expert Vu Xuan Hoa said the railings were now so weak they could bend if many people leaned on them at the same time.

Co Chien is one of four major bridges on National Highway 60. The others are at Rach Mieu, Ham Luong, and Dai Ngai.

The Co Chien Bridge, which crosses a river of the same name, was opened to traffic in mid May, reducing the distance between HCM City and Tra Vinh province from 60km to 50km.

It is one of the important links between Highway 60 and highways along the eastern coast corridor of the Mekong Delta, including Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh and Soc Trang provinces.

A consortium of project investors, including the Civil Engineering Construction Corporation No. 1 (Cienco 1), Tuan Loc Construction Investment Joint Stock Company and 577 Investment Corporation are involved in this Build-Operate-Transfer project, can collect tolls for 19 years to recover their capital.

Toyota increases support to enhance transport safety in Vietnam

Japan-backed Toyota Motor Vietnam and the National Traffic Safety Committee yesterday inked a memorandum of cooperation on traffic safety enhancement for 2015-2018 with a view to promoting the educational activities and raising awareness on execution of traffic safety regulations in Vietnam.

Other targets are enhancing the quality and effectiveness of government agencies’ operations in the field of ensuring traffic safety and making efforts to curtail traffic accident as well as building up traffic culture nationwide.

The cooperation programme will be implemented within three years from 2015 to 2018. In the first year of implementation, the two sides (TMV and NTSC) will focus on implementing two media campaigns to raise people’s awareness pursuing the government’s orientation, donating Toyota Hilux vehicles for traffic inspection in poor northern mountainous provinces, and organising seminars on car maintenance management, among others.

On the occasion, Yoshihisa Maruta, TMV president, said, “Through cooperative programme with the NTSC, the TMV envisages leaving a bigger imprint on traffic safety in Vietnam, to benefit more people on a larger scale. We expect the programme will help raise the public awareness about traffic safety and the law obedience strengthened, from there lowering cases of traffic accidents and building a brighter future for Vietnamese people.”

According to NTSC vice chairman Khuat Viet Hung, for the first time the death cases from traffic accidents fell to below 9,000 people last year in Vietnam and reported positive signs in the first half of this year.

“With the entry of the whole political system, traffic accidents have declined sharply in the number of cases as well as the number of injured and deaths. The NTSC pledges to do its utmost, in cooperation with the TMV, striving to build a more safety and civilized traffic environment in Vietnam,” Hung said.

Throughout 20 years operating in the Vietnamese market, the TMV not only aims at becoming one of the leading players in Vietnam’s auto industry, but also makes efforts to become a good corporate citizen, growing in harmony with local community through meaningful social contributions in diverse fields. Traffic safety is TMV’s one of top priority areas.

Starting from 2015, the TMV has been cooperating with Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training to launch the annual Toyota Traffic Safety Education Programme (TSEP), in order to educate knowledge and awareness for primary pupils nationwide.

Earlier, in late 2014, the TMV teamed up with the Department of Traffic Police belonging to the Ministry of Public Security to carry out Toyota Safety Driving Programme, under the direct support from Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), in order to train and develop a team of core safety instructors who are capable of providing knowledge, training skills and raising awareness of safety driving for car drivers across the country.

New World’s Charity Family Day to benefit sight-impaired kids

People are invited to a Charity Family Day initiated by the New World Saigon Hotel from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on August 13 at the Grand Mekong Ball Room to raise funds for Thien An Shelter which is home to over 30 sight-impaired kids.

The Charity Family Day will feature performances of the hotel’s associates and their family members, a lucky draw, and a charity fair.

At the moment, associates of the hotel are invited to donate their money or goods (clothing items and fashion accessories and household appliances, among others) from now until August 12. All the items with small value will be sold directly while special items will be auctioned privately and will be sold to the highest price bidder.

After the Charity Family Day on August 13, the hotel will visit Thien An Shelter in HCMC’s Tan Phu District on August 23 to donate gifts and money, and serve lunch for the kids. Thien An Social Center provides opportunities for disadvantaged children to access education to fully develop their potentials, and gain necessary knowledge and skills to live.

From August 17 to 21, representatives from the hotel will visit and give presents to associates and their family members who are under serious medical treatment.

“With this annual event we wish to foster an environment that engages associates through direct involvement with their family members,  joining us to support our community and enhance the awareness of our  “Commitment of giving and sharing’,” Do Huynh Thanh Truc, the hotel’s director of human resources, told the Daily.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri