Master plan on Phong Nha-Ke Bang Park receives green light

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam gave the nod to a master plan on conserving and promoting the value of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park – a national relic site – in central Quang Binh province in the 2016-2025 period, with a vision to 2035.

He assigned the provincial People’s Committee to coordinate with offices involved to design the relic site planning to be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval.

Located in Bo Trach district, the park covers 85,754 hectares with a 195,400-hectare buffer zone. It is among the 238 most important ecological zones in the world.

Phong Nha – Ke Bang won UNESCO heritage recognition in 2003 thanks to its system of 300 different caves and grottos which date back some 400 million years.

With the length of 7.7 kilometres, Phong Nha cave system is said to have the longest water cave and the most beautiful grottos.

Meanwhile, Son Doong, which was first explored in 2009, is considered the largest natural cave in the world.

It has a length of at least 8.5 kilometres and is at least 200 metres in height (while its very largest chamber is an incredible 250 metres in height, enough space to accommodate 40-storey skyscrapers).

On May 13 this year, the American television network ABC (American Broadcasting Company) made a live broadcast through the Good Morning America programme featuring En and Son Doong caves.

Vietnam House in Canada welcomes visitors

More than 400 people visited the Vietnam House in the Canadian capital Ottawa when it opened to the public for a second year on June 7.

Located at No. 85 on Glebe Avenue, the 102 year-old house, designed by famous Canadian architect W.E. Noffke, currently serves as the headquarters of the Vietnamese Embassy.

On its opening day, visitors were welcomed in to view a typical Vietnamese interior space. The ancient house, which has distinctive white walls and a red-tiled roof, is decorated inside with handicrafts, wooden furniture, and paintings and photographs depicting the landscapes and hospitable people of the country.

The building’s former owners, the Sheahan family, were among the visitors. They expressed their pleasure with the new look of the house.

The opening of the Vietnam House to the public is part of an annual programme to honour heritage buildings in Ottawa.

This year, more than 120 historically, culturally and functionally significant buildings opened their doors on June 6 – 7.

The annual architectural event has drawn nearly 800,000 visitors since its launch in 2002.

Hai Phong moves to become a green port city

Authorities in the northern port city of Hai Phong, one of the important waterway hubs in the region, have been stridently promoting sustainable growth and protection of the environment in sea port areas, in a bid to turn the locality into a “green port city” by 2020.

Hai Phong is now home to 34 ports and transhipment complexes, with 38 enterprises operating there.

In recent years, the volume of goods passing through ports in the city recorded a yearly average increase of between 15-20 percent, hitting 66 million tonnes in 2014.

According to Nguyen Van Tien, General Director of the Vietnam Container Shipping JSC (VSC), local businesses are focused on investing in infrastructure development and improving the quality of services.

He said that almost all firms working in the locality have good awareness of maritime environment protection and do their utmost to prevent environmental pollution.

The local port authority usually implements inspections to ensure that companies strictly abide by the regulations in this area.

Bui Van Minh, Director of the Hai Phong Port Authority, said his agency and relevant units are working to support ports improve their infrastructure system so as to meet environmental friendly standards.

Additionally, a modern international gateway port – the Lach Huyen port - with a capacity of handling ships with tonnage up to 100,000 tonnes is to be completed in the city. This is expected to help the city realise its environmental targets, solidifying the National Strategy on Green Growth.

Nam Dinh plants mangrove to fight climate change

The Red River Delta province of Nam Dinh is undertaking efforts to foster mangrove plantation in coastal areas to fight climate change.

In 2015, the provincial Red Cross will accelerate the implementation of mangrove afforestation, part of the Forests and Deltas project on climate change adaptation, funded by the US Agency for International Development and Winrock International.

The locality also aims to sustainably circulate the outcomes of a mangrove plantation and disaster risk reduction (MP/DRR) programme which has been carried out since 1997 in 15 communes in the coastal districts of Hai Hau, Giao Thuy and Nghia Hung.

Under that programme - which was funded by the Danish Red Cross between 1997 and 2005 and by the Japanese Red Cross since 2006 - more than 6,500 hectares of mangrove have been planted, contributing to protecting the environment and biodiversity.

According to Vice Chairman of the Nam Dinh Red Cross Pham Minh Phuong, the mangrove plantation has made a significant contribution to protecting the local sea dyke system, preventing and controlling natural disasters and boosting socio-economic development.

The project has benefited more than 2,000 households in Giao An commune, Giao Thuy district, with more than 1,200 hectares of mangrove planted together with nearly 900 hectares of trees.

Chairman of the Giao An Red Cross, Vu Duc Phuong, highlighted the practical benefits from the project to the targeted coastal residential areas over the past 18 years, saying that they have seen a significant change in their defences against high sea waves and stormy winds.

The mangrove forests have also contributed to consolidating the local sea dyke system, thus reducing landslides, erosion, flood tides and embankment breaches.

Nam Dinh is one of the localities most vulnerable to natural disasters during the flood season due to its geographical features. The areas surrounding the Red, Dao, Day and Ninh Co Rivers are particularly prone.

It is one of ten Vietnamese provinces to benefit from the MP/DRR programme. It has developed 91km of sea dykes and more than 300km of river dykes.

Vietnam excels in quality research

A nation heavily engaged in cutting-edge research benefits tremendously and will most likely develop a new generation of researchers, further strengthening its ability to drive innovation and economic development.

Along the vein, the Ministry of Science and Technology has unveiled a list of the top 20 innovative organizations in Vietnam that published research findings during the five year period 2010-2014.

The Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences topped the list followed by the Vietnam National University in Hanoi, Vietnam National University in HCM City and Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

Three health facilities cited in the list were the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases, National Institute of Hygiene & Epidemiology and Bach Mai Hospital.

Vietnam researchers accounted for 0.106% of the total global number of international research publications with 10,000 writings for the five-year period most of which related to mathematics, physics and chemistry.

In comparison with other countries in the region, Vietnam ranked 59th in the world, behind Thailand (43rd), Malaysia (38th) — followed by Indonesia (62nd) and the Philippines (66th).

Japan-technology waste treatment plant operated in Hanoi

Hanoi inaugurated a pilot solid waste treatment facility using environmentally-friendly technology from the Japanese prefecture of Fukuoka in the Xuan Son waste treatment zone, Son Tay town on June 8.

The facility was constructed since June 2013 in conjunction with the anniversaries celebrating 40 years of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties and five years of Hanoi- Fukuoka cooperation establishment.

According to Nguyen Trong Dong, Director of the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the project worth almost 47 billion VND (2.19 million USD) includes a landfill covering around 3 hectares with a designed treatment capacity of nearly 100 tonnes per day.

The facility receives and treats solid waste from the capital’s western part including Son Tay, Ba Vi, Phuc Tho, Thach That, and Dan Phuong suburban districts.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Fukuoka Governor Ogawa Hiroshi said Fukuoka experiences in tackling pollution, and the prefecture is willing to further support Hanoi in addressing its environmental issues in various fields.

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen The Thao noted that the project reflects enhanced collaboration and friendship between Hanoi and Fukuoka.

He appointed the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment to work closely with the Japanese sides in operating the facility and reviewing its outcome.

Lotus seats likely for overhead train

The Railway Project Management Unit has submitted to the Ministry of Transport a design of train for the Cat Linh – Ha Dong rapid transit railway project.

The train is expected to have an aerodynamic design, with wedge shape and dark glass windows.

The image of Khue Van Cac (the pavilion of the constellation of literature) in Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (the Temple of Literature) will be printed on the centre of the train's top.

The train will mainly be green in colour and will have a youthful and dynamic look, in addition to being environmentally friendly. Its body is to be of stainless steel.

The train's look will be harmoniously balanced with modern and traditional styles to match Hanoi – the 1,000-year-old capital of Vietnam.

For its interiors, the train will have handrails curving toward its windows, creating larger space for passengers; and its seats will be in the shape of a lotus leaf. There will be reserved seats for disabled people and pregnant women.

Under the project, 13 trains, with four carriages each, will be manufactured by China's Beijing Subway Rolling Stock Equipment Co. Ltd.

Le Kim Thanh, General Director of the Railway Project Management Unit, said that if the ministry approves the proposed design, the locomotives will be quickly built and presented to authorised agencies, experts, and people who have contributed ideas.

According to an appraisal report issued by the ministry's Transport Engineering Construction and Quality Management Bureau, the trains are estimated to be acquired for over 63 million USD.

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project was approved in 2008. Its cost was originally set at 552 million USD and later readjusted at 892 million USD. The entire project measures 13km, and encompass 12 stations and a depot. It stretches from Cat Linh street in Dong Da district to Yen Nghia Bus Station in Ha Dong district.

The construction is expected to finish by the end of 2015, with the trial phase set to begin in January 2016.

Asian labour unionists prepare for seafarers summit

A delegation of the Workers’ Union at the Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) participated in a meeting held recently in Tokyo to prepare for the 32nd Asian Seafarers Summit Meeting (ASSM).

The union’s website reported that the meeting was attended by leaders of 17 labour unions representing seamen in 12 Asian countries and territories.

The meeting focused on issues related to seafarers in the Asian region, including the maintenance of urgent communication channels in cases of maritime accidents or ships and seamen abandoned at sea.

Participants also discussed the preparation of the ASSM, which is scheduled to be held in September in Kyoto, Japan.

Meeting celebrates World Oceans Day, Sea and Island Week

A meeting was held in central Quang Ngai province on June 8 to mark the World Oceans Day and the Vietnam Sea and Island Week and advocate the preservation and sustainable use of natural resources.

This year’s Sea and Island Week takes the theme of “Blue Ocean, Green Planet”, which is also aimed at highlighting Vietnam’s historical sovereignty over its seas and islands and the resolve to safeguard this sovereignty.

At the function, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Chu Pham Ngoc Hien said to develop sustainably amidst complicated situation in the East Sea, Vietnam needs to determinedly protect its national sovereignty and interests in the waters and oppose all violations of its sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction at sea.

Marine economic activities should also be fostered so as to soon transform Vietnam into a strong and wealthy sea-based country, he added, noting the importance of international cooperation in this field.

Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai People’s Committee Le Quang Thich said 400 years ago, the province was the base of the Hoang Sa flotilla set up by the Nguyen Dynasty to exercise control over Truong Sa (Paracel) and Hoang Sa (Spratly) archipelagos. The flotilla regularly sailed to the islands to erect sovereignty markers, exploit marine resources, build temples, and draw maps of the waters. Many historical and cultural relics related to the flotilla are still preserved in Ly Son Island.

Quang Ngai will strive to protect coastal and marine environment and develop its maritime economy, helping safeguard the national sovereignty and interests, he added.

The Vietnam Sea and Island Week in Quang Ngai will include a wide range of activities such as releasing fish fry into the sea, a cycling parade, a beach cleanup, and a conference to promote investment in local marine economic activities.

Efforts to be made to narrow growth gap among ethnic groups

The Government Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs will design more measures to support ethnic minority groups and rapidly reduce development gap among regions and ethnic groups, pledged Minister-Chairman of the committee Giang Seo Phu.

He noted the high poverty rate among ethnic minority groups, which make up only 14.3 percent of the national population but account for over 47 percent of the total number of households living under the poverty line, despite great improvements seen over recent years.

Phu explained that although the Party and State have paid great attention to designing support policies for ethnic minority groups, the total investment remains limited.

For example, allocated investment for Programme 135 on boosting socio-economic development in extremely difficult, ethnic minority and mountainous regions has reached only 64 percent of the total plan, he noted, adding that in 2015, the programme has received only 6 trillion VND (282 million USD), just half of the approved amount of 12 trillion VND (558 million USD).

Regarding measures to mobilise resources for socio-economic development among ethnic minority groups, Phu said the policies will focus on increasing loans and reducing non-refundable aids.

A programme will be designed to encourage lending to people from ethnic minority groups, creating favourable conditions for them to boost production and improve income, he said.

Meanwhile, the committee will mobilise all possible resources for the work, including contributions from organisations and enterprises as well as donation from individuals and international organisations.

Phu revealed that the Government has recently approved an investment of up to 6 trillion VND (282 million USD) for the implementation of support policies for ethnic minority groups, raising the total capital allocation for the work this year to about 10 trillion VND (467 million USD).

The Minister-Chairman also expressed hope that ministries and localities will promptly realise the policies and simplify administrative procedures, thus making it easier for ethnic minority people to access the capital.

VFF leader meets with overseas Vietnamese experts

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Nguyen Thien Nhan has urged the overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to join in seeking the solutions to the five key socio-economic tasks of the country in the period from now to 2030.

He made the call when meeting with participants of the first forum for overseas Vietnamese intellectuals on Vietnam’s development and integration from 2016 to 2020 in Hanoi on June 7.

The VFF leader asked OV community to contribute their ideas on how to turn Vietnam into an agricultural and tourism power and a new manufacturing centre of the world. He said the country also needs to develop a system of smart cities and a contingent of scientists and technicians who are among the top three in the ASEAN region.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Hong Nam emphasised that at the forum, overseas Vietnamese scientists and experts from different fields had made constructive recommendations on issues important to the country’s development, including innovating growth models, restructuring the economy, industrialisation and modernisation processes, as well as education overhaul.

He reported that many of the OVs proposed organising the forum regularly to allow them to contribute more in national development.

Festival strengthens Vietnam-France friendship, solidarity

An exchange festival was held in Montreuil city, on the outskirts of Paris, on June 6 to strengthen friendship and solidarity between Vietnamese and French people and associations.

More than 60 Vietnamese, French, French-Vietnamese organisations and associations active in various fields such as economics, culture, education-training and humanitarian aid participated in the event.

The programme, which is entering its second year, was first held in 2012 in Choisy le Roi by the Vietnamese Embassy in France and the Montreuil government.

Ambassador Nguyen Ngoc Son highlighted the close-knit relationship between Vietnam and France , which has been reinforced by people-to-people exchanges.

The associations have run a number of activities to support Vietnam in its development path and international integration process, he said.

He noted that the projects in various fields such as culture, vocational training, health, environment, poverty reduction and war recovery have helped to improve local living standards and human resources.

Mayor of Montreuil city, Patrice Bessac, said time could not erode the friendship between Vietnam and France, which was based on mutual respect and understanding.

A plenary session was held as part of the event to disseminate the image of Vietnam in France and enhance coordination among associations to heal the pains of war.

The festival also includes a seminar, culture exchanges, Vietnamese traditional dishes, handicrafts and souvenirs, lion dancing, an “ao dai” fashion show, and martial artsdisplays.

Tap water runs to 27,775 more households in HCMC

An additional 27,775 households in HCMC had got access to clean water in the year to the end of May, raising the total number of local households using running water to 1,523,600.

The number represented 81.3% of total households in the city, said Nguyen Thanh Chung, director of the HCMC Department of Transport.

Chung told a media briefing on water supply in HCMC last week that more households with access to running water had resulted in a sharp decline of 18.7% in households having to use unsafe water to 350,510.

Towards the year-end, the city will build 1,559 kilometers of water pipe and install 1,096 central water tanks to supply clean water to 213,259 more households.

To ensure clean water supply for all households in HCMC, the city will invest in Tan Hiep 2, Kenh Dong 2 and Thu Duc 4 water plants in 2016, 2018 and 2019 respectively. These new facilities are designed to supply an additional 850,000 cubic meters of clean water per day and increase the city’s total water supply capacity to 2.95 million cubic meters per day.

The implementation of water supply projects in districts 8, 9, 12 and Hoc Mon are progressing smoothly, according to local authorities. However, water supply stations in the outlying district of Cu Chi may fall behind schedule due to prolonged bidding procedures.

Marine police seize 700,000 tonnes of smuggled oil

Viet Nam Coast Guard High Command said they have seized a vessel carrying 700,000 tonnes of oil of unclear origin from southern Soc Trang Province's Dai Ngai marine area.

Early on Friday, a scout team that had been patrolling the area for two weeks stopped a My Hung 8 vessel with registration number ST 06030 for a check.

The team found 700,000 tonnes of oil in the vessel's tank. Ho Nhat Anh, the captain, and three crew members failed to hand in papers on the volume of oil.

Anh told police that he received the oil from an unregistered ship near Dai Ngai marine area.

According to police, the vessel belongs to My Hung private enterprise, located at Giong Giua Commune in Tran De District, Soc Trang Province.

The seized oil cargo has been moved to a naval port in Can Tho City's Binh Thuy District. Police are investigating the case further.

Forest fire leads police to man possessing guns

The investigative police in the northwestern province of Son La have prosecuted a man for illegal possession and use of military arms.

The police stumbled upon the illegal arms and man when they were investigating the causes of a forest fire.

On January 5, Moc Chau District authorities in the province was informed about a forest fire, which reportedly broke out after someone used the slash-and-burn practice to clear uphill land for cultivation.

After initial investigations, a joint-agency team consisting of rangers, policemen, and local officers, visited the house of one Dinh Quang Dong, born in 1984, at Tieu khu 11, Moc Chau Town in the district.

Dong fled after receiving a tip-off about the investigation team's visit.

The team seized an AK rifle, a homemade gun, and 28 bullets from his residence.

Possession of military arms is illegal in Viet Nam.

On Sunday, the investigative police caught Dong.

Dong allegedly confessed that he had bought the arms from an unknown man at Chieng Ve commune in the same district for hunting purpose.

The police are investigating further.

Red tape delays hospital construction in HCM City

The Traumatology-Orthopaedics Hospital's move to HCM City's outskirts and the expansion of the Tumour Hospital have been delayed for many years, with construction failing to start in either case after being stuck in procedures.

The Compensation and Ground Clearance Joint Stock Corporation, which will build the Traumatology-Orthopaedics Hospital in Binh Chanh District, has stopped paying compensation to locals for land.

"We only have money for compensation and ground clearance but not for construction," Pham Ngoc Lam, the chairman of the corporation, was quoted as saying in Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

"So we have to wait for banks' approval before resuming compensation payment."

The district People's Committee had announced early last year that land would be taken over from 62 households. But only 14 agreed to sell and move with only 11 getting the compensation so far.

"The compensation delay will surely impact others and they don't want to give their land now," Nguyen Van Truong, deputy chairman of the district People's Committee, said.

Lam said banks loans were not forthcoming because the lenders wanted the approved investment certificate, detailed 1:500 master plan, design, project and capital approval and other documents.

"But we can only get them once we have cleared land."

The city People's Committee has yet to begin the process of selling the current site of the Traumatology-Orthopaedics hospital on Tran Hung Dao Street, District 5.

It is estimated to be worth VND500 billion (US$23.1 million), but the new hospital will cost double and the city has not said how the difference will be raised.

In the normal course, the corporation will build the hospital using its own resources. The city will fix the price of the old site, hand it over to the builder and pay the rest from its coffers if there is a shortfall.

Both the corporation and banks had asked the city to set a value right at the time the project was approved.

"We are ready to return the project to the city with a condition it has to repay us the VND30 billion ($1.45 million) we spent on design and compensation," Lam said.

Construction of the Tumour Hospital's medical examination and high-tech treatment block was approved in 2004 but the work never got off the ground after the estimated cost increased from VND46 billion ($2.2 million) to 76 billion ($3.6 million).

The two hospitals are overloaded now and it is imperative that the construction begins soon.

Nguyen Van Lam, deputy head of the city People's Council's State Budget and Economics Commission, said, "I have requested relevant authorities to appraise the capability of [the builder] and speed up procedures."

Ha Noi tackles water shortages as hot weather dries up city

Ha Noi's Party Committee has asked authorised agencies to re-examine the demand and supply of water and electricity to minimise shortages, especially during the prolonged hot summer.

Speaking at an inspection of water and electricity supplies in Ha Noi on Saturday, Secretary of Ha Noi's Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi said after the recent hot days, demand for water demand had already exceeded supplies.

The city's water supplies were unsustainable, he said, and pumping stations were at their maximum capacity.

Nghi said it was time to study the scheduled increase of water prices, which would ease pressure on the State budget and would create funds for water projects to serve the city.

According to the Ha Noi Water Supply Company, there would be a shortage of 60,000 cubic metres per day.

Underground water sources are forecast to decrease by 1-3 per cent, while the demand for clean water during summer is likely to increase by 7-10 per cent compared to the previous year.

Currently, the company supplies 620,000 cubic metres per day.

The company has 12 factories and 10 water stations, and is working with other companies to provide between 40,000-60,000 cubic metres per day for residents in Cau Giay and Dong Da.

The company has also upgraded existing wells and drilled new wells to ensure supplies.

Construction work will begin on two water stations on the Hong and Duong rivers this year to supply an additional 600,000 cubic metres per day.

Son La’s forest development efforts produce results

The northern mountainous province of Son La has enjoyed a fast and sustainable forest recovery rate thanks to its efforts to increase forest coverage.

According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province’s forest coverage reached 41.2 percent in 2008, and increased to 44.7 percent in 2013, higher than the national average rate of 39.9 percent.

The increase was attributed to the joint efforts of local authorities and people to protect the existing forests, and implement a number of reforestation projects.

Son La is striving for forest coverage of 55 percent by 2020. To achieve this goal the locality will carry out strong measures to stop deforestation and illegal forest product exploitation.

HCM City kicks off Green Consumption drive

The annual Green Consumption Campaign, which seeks to improve people's awareness about environmental protection, kicked off last Saturday at Co.opmart Foodcosa supermarket in HCM City.

The campaign, organised by the Liberated Sai Gon newspaper, the city's Department of Industry and Trade and Saigon Co.op, encourages businesses and consumers to be environmentally responsible.

As part of the campaign this year, the Co.opmart and Co.opXtra supermarket chains implemented six promotions from June 6 to 25 to increase consumption of products produced by enterprises that were environmentally friendly, Nhan said.

About 200 enterprises have joined the campaign this year, with more than 2,500 products, an increase of 15 per cent over last year, he said.

At first blush, it seems to be a happy ending to the saga about a man who was proven innocent after serving 10 years in jail on charges of murder and robbery. The Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam has paid what is the country’s biggest compensation amount in a court case for Nguyen Thanh Chan, a resident in the northern province of Bac Giang.

After a long period of laborious negotiations with the supreme court, Chan agreed to get VND7.2 billion (US$330,000) in compensation though he earlier asked for a bigger sum. Of this sum, the supreme court compensated a mere VND500 million for spiritual loss suffered by him and his family due to the wrong court verdict against him while he demanded VND2 billion.

Local media has carried long articles about how he would use such a big sum of money. Some reports say Chan would use part of the money to pay the heavy debts which his family owed in their long, strenuous journey to seek justice, and spend some more money on a long list of other things including sending his wife to hospital for medical treatment and rebuilding their shabby home to offset all the sufferings endured by his family.

Money may be used to cope with the material losses but not the spiritual distress faced by Chan and his family members for more than 10 years. His children dropped out of school and one of them had to go abroad for guest work to earn money for her mother to seek justice for Chan. His wife once suffered from mental illness after spending many years knocking on the doors of different state agencies at different levels.

A decade ago, Chan’s family was leading a happy life but he was suddenly arrested and jailed for murder and robbery in 2003. However, a young man named Ly Nguyen Chung turned himself in October 2013 and pleaded guilty of stabbing Nguyen Thi Hoan to death and robbing her of gold and money.

Since 2003 the fates of Chan’s family members had changed completely as life had become shattered. If justice had come to him earlier, such misery and spiritual loss would have been avoided.

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