Crane hits cement gate, three die

Three people died yesterday after a crane they were on, hit a commune culture house's gate that fell on a vehicle in the central province of Nghe An's Yen Thanh District.

The accident took place after a local, Dinh Quang Nang, forgot to lower the crane, which later crashed on the gate. Witnesses recalled that the brick-and-cement gate, which weighed around 8 to 10 tonnes, fell on the crane, deforming it and killing Nang, his son, and an other man.

The local authority has supported the deceased's families by holding memorial services. The case is under investigation.

Forest fires engulf Hoang Lien National Park

Raging forest fires broke out in Na Hang area, away 3km from Seo My Ty hamlet, Ta Van commune, Sa Pa district in the northern Lao Cai province on March 5.

The fires continued to spread into Seo My Ty hamlet on March 6 and swept through Hoang Lien National Park fueled by dry weather and strong winds.

Local militiaman and relevant agencies in Sa Pa district are closely cooperating to battle the fires and contain them.

Lao Cai province’s People’s Committee Chairman Doan Van Huong directed relevant agencies to mobilizein Sa Pa to support local forces to put out the fires.

Two forest fires occurred in Hoang Lien National park a month ago, severely damaging hundreds of hectares of natural forest.

Released prisoner denies asking for large compensation

A released prisoner from Bac Giang Province has denied that he asked the People's Supreme Court for compensation worth over VND1 billion (USD47,337) for his 10-year unjust imprisonment.

Nguyen Thanh Chan had been sentenced to life for murder 10 years ago and was released last November after the guilty party confessed.

Chan said that he is living with his family after his release from the prison. He has been asking for legal consultation about compensation for his losses.

Recently, an unsigned petition, said to have been made by Chan’s relatives, was published by some media outlets. The petition claims that he asked for a compensation of over VND1 billion.

The petition said that before he was arrested in 2003, he was the main bread-winner in his family and had an income of about  VD280,000 (USD13.25) per day.

The petition calculated he was jailed for 3,700 days, and compensation arrived at the figure of over VND1 billion.

In addition, he asked for some other compensations for his wife who was ill and had to get medical treatment worth VND60 million during her effort to claim innocence for him as well as their debts worth around VND500 million during his imprisonment, the complaint said. There are other compensations the petition asked for, including medical and other expenses.

However, Chan said, “I haven't made any such petition. I’m still calculating my losses over the period and completing the required paperwork."

Vu Thi Nga, the lawyer who represents Chan, also denied involvement.

“I’m Chan’s lawyer and providing him with pro-bono legal consultation. Chan and his family plan to negotiate the matter,” Nga noted.

On one occasion, Chan has complained about the speed of the process, saying, "After my release I have to reintegrate into the community and work to earn a living. This is made very difficult, as both my wife and I are ill. I wish the payments could be made sooner."

To date, his family has yet to receive any compensation for his unjust imprisonment.

Chan has also accused local authorities of extorting a false confession. On February 27, Chan met investigators from the Ministry of Public Security for the the third round of negotiations.

Outbreaks of diseases in schools in HCMC

Dr. Nguyen Tri Dung, director of the Preventive Medicine Center, warned of disease outbreaks in schools on March 5.

The city is facing various outbreaks of diseases including measles and dengue in the past two months, said Dr. Dung. The wet weather is a good environment for spread of the viruses.

An adult died of dengue fever in HCMC last time, according to the Tropical Disease Hospital. The rate of infections increased 28 percent compared to the same period in 2013.

The Children Hospital No. 1 and 2 and the Tropical Disease Hospital received more than 200 serious measles cases in the first two months of 2014. The Department of Health will be dispensing vaccinations to children under three years old from March 7 to end of April.

Ten students in Le Quy Don Junior High School in District 3 contracted chicken pox, said Dr. Dung. After sending the children home, no more cases were reported.

The health and education centers are currently working together to raise public awareness of disease prevention.

Hospital of Hematology and Blood Transfusion uses NAT to test donors

HCMC Hospital of Hematology and Blood Transfusion announced they will be applying Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) to screen donors for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

NAT is a technique used to detect early onset of a virus or bacterium in the blood. The NAT procedure is expected to ensure a safe supply of blood for transfusions. The hospital is the first in the country to apply the technique.

The center supplies blood for 100 private and public hospitals in HCMC. It collects 220,000 units from donors per year, accounting for 25 percent of the total donated blood in the country. The number of donors has risen 98 percent in the last year.

Doctors enjoy financial supports in Quang Nam province

Medical graduates from three biggest medical universities of Hanoi, HCM City and Hue will get lots of financial support if they choose to work in the central Quang Nam Province.

A new decision released on March 3 by the Quang Nam Province's People’s Committee stipulated that people with a doctor's degree in medicine will be given VND 500 million in cash and provided with accommodation when they commit to work in public health facilities in the province from 12-18 years.

The decision aims to improve medical treatment in the local healthcare sector which is in serious lack of good medical staff.

Meanwhile, newly graduates with an average, average good, good and excellent diplomas from the three medical schools will also be given financial support between VND 200-250 million.

Those who accept to work in the province's remote and mountainous areas will get a support of 0.1 to 0.4 times higher than the announced amount.

The age limit for those with a doctor degree is 45 and 40 for a normal doctor.

Hydropower project kills river in the Central Highlands

Up to six out of seven branches of the Serepok River in the Central Highlands Province of Dak Lak have become dry after water was blocked for a hydropower project.

The river runs through Ea Huar Commune and its neighbouring areas in Buon Don District, Dak Lak Province. The situation is seriously affecting the ecological environment and local people’s life.

Ama An, Head of Tri A Village, Krong Na Commune, said, the dry river has affected life of hundreds of local households who live on fishing activities. Furthermore, they also lack of water for daily life and irrigation. More than 10 hectares of rice fields are dying due to the water shortage.

Bay Nhanh Waterfall area on the river used to be known for breathtaking waterfalls but now visitors do not have the chance to admire them anymore. There is no more elephant riding or boat sailing services on the river, either.

Le Thi Thanh Ha, Director of Ban Don Tourism site, blamed the situation for the construction of Serepok 4A Hydropower Project invested by Buon Don Hydropower Joint Stock Company.

"Many visitors to the area are expressing their disappointment when seeing the dying tourist site," Ha said. "And our revenues have fallen by 80%."

On March 3, Tran Hieu, Vice Chairman of Dak Lak Province People’s Committee, said the situation is unacceptable, asking for the provincial Department of Industry and Trade’s explanation.

The department admitted that this is an urgent problem and it will soon carry out an investigation at the site.

Incomes in medical sector must be reviewed for effective reform

Public hospitals should review the pay scale of medical staff to help make the sector's reform more effective, said Dr. Pham Manh Hung, Chairman of Vietnam Medical Association.

According to Dr. Hung, many doctors complain about low pay. While this is true at most hospitals, doctors also earn extra income aside from their salary from the state, with doctors in cities often earning more than their rural counterparts.

“I cannot say for sure how many doctors have high incomes. This issue needs an honest and objective inspection. Where does doctors’ extra income come from, which should be clearly clarified,” he said. While doctors often say their salaries are low, in fact their overall incomes can be quite high. Dr. Hung said that the concept of salary and wages should not be separated.

“In my opinion, public hospitals should use some of the financial management methods of private hospitals to make staff income transparent,” he suggested.

According to the Dr. Hung, such transparency is necessary for meaningful reform.

During the period of subsidies in Vietnam doctors focused on serving patients and scientific research as all their income came from the state. But more recently doctors spend more time and energy augmenting their incomes. Dr. Hung said this has had negative impacts.

“I think that management agencies should create mechanisms so that doctors would not need to think of ways to earn extra money,” he emphasised. But he added that before such an adjustment is carried out, a thorough review of the payment system must be done.

As long as doctors preoccupied with earning a living and not completely on medicine, any reform policies will be ineffective and opposed by doctors, he said, adding that purely disciplinary measures taken now would be unlikely to create the intended results.

The income disparity between urban and rural areas, has also caused doctors to flock to cities, leaving in a gap in disadvantaged areas.

Japan loan helps VN address climate change

Japan will provide Viet Nam with a JPY25 billion (US$244 million) loan in 2013 to help the country respond to climate change issues, in a bid to attract foreign investors.

On behalf of the two governments, Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh and Japanese ambassador to Viet Nam Hiroshi Fukada signed an exchange of notes regarding the loan yesterday.

Accordingly, JPY10 billion ($97.7 million) is to be spent for the fourth phase of Viet Nam's Support Programme to Respond to Climate Change – a multi-donor partnership which includes Japan, the World Bank, France and Canada, to support in developing policy and institutional actions to create an effective response to climate change.

The remainder of the funding, JPY15 billion ($146.5 million), would be used for the second Economic Management and Competitive Credit programme for Viet Nam (EMCC 2).

Minister Vinh said that the loans were very helpful to Viet Nam, since the country was most vulnerable to climate change and was reforming its economy and improving its competitiveness.

"Viet Nam commits to use the ODA in a transparent and effective way," he said.

Ambassador Fukada said that he hoped the ODA would bring into play its effectiveness, and that transparency would be ensured.

He said, due to such assistance, he expected the relationship between the two countries would become even closer.

Japan has been Viet Nam's largest source of bilateral assistance over the past 20 years. Japan has supported socio-economic development in Viet Nam through infrastructure building, human resource training, plus policy reforms.

Quang Nam offers free bus for air passengers

The central province of Quang Nam will provide free bus transportation for air passengers between the province's capital of Tam Ky city to Chu Lai Airport this year.

The 30-km route will be served by a 24-seat bus making 11 trips per week for passengers travelling from Ha Noi and HCM City to Chu Lai Airport.

The route seeks to boost air travel from HCM City and Ha Noi to the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone in Quang Nam and Dung Quat Economic Zone in Quang Ngai Province.

The airport, which began operating in 2005, only allows landings by 50-seat ATR-72 aircraft and the Fokker 70. Future plans call for the airport to host 2.3 million passengers and 1.5 million tonnes of cargo by 2025.

UNESCO initiative promotes gender equality

UNESCO joins international and regional partners to launch the annual Women Make the News (WMN) initiative on the International Women’s Day (March 8) themed “Advancing Global Partnerships to Achieving Gender Equality in and through Media.”

It is closely linked to the International Women’s Day global theme, “Equality for women is progress for all”.

Research has shown that, on average, only 24% of people questioned, seen, heard or read about in the media are women. Only one quarter of board members governing media organizations are women.

The media, as champions of freedom of expression and with their function to promote diversity, should treat this imbalance as a threat to the free expression of half the world’s population.

Getting more women in the news needs to be a consistent commitment to achieve evolutionary change.

UNESCO is calling on its media partners to commit to ensuring that 30% of all experts interviewed in the news are women as a step towards achieving gender equality in editorial content.

Half the world’s population implies 50% of the viewership, listenership and readership of the world’s media. Responding to them is a sure business and development model. It is sure progress for media development and indeed sure progress for all.  

Likewise, UNESCO is inviting editors-in-chief of newspapers, radio, television online and offline to join this initiative, and to entrust women journalists and reporters with editorial responsibility for the newsroom on International Women’s Day or during the WMN initiative.

The WMN 2014 theme this year is connected to the success of the groundbreaking Global Alliance on Media and Gender (GAMAG) which was launched during the first Global Forum on Media and Gender which took place in Bangkok, Thailand, from December 2-4, 2013.

Through GAMAG, constructive dialogue between media partners and civil society will be strengthened, and all stakeholders can collectively work to give momentum to women's access to expression and decision-making by promoting a gender-inclusive media and communication environment.

Gender equality in all levels of decision making in media and in content involves all and has many dimensions as described in the UNESCO Gender-Sensitive Indicators for Media resource. The media civil society, governments, private sector and development organizations can contribute. GAMAG and the WMN 2014 initiative unite all stakeholders to take action.

Fishing ship saved in Truong Sa archipelago

A fishing boat crewed by 46 sailors ran aground in the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago on March 5 and had to be rescued by two other fishing vessels, according to the border guard station in Ky Ha Port.

When the vessel, captained by Phan Van Thanh from central Quang Nam province, found itself in difficulty, two rescue boats used coracles to rescue the sailors and remove fuel and cargo from the distressed ship in order to lighten the load and help the salvage effort.

Captain Thai Nguyen Van Ha from Ky Ha border guard station said his team are still in contact with all three boats to advise on the safest measures to save the ship.

Bird flu breaks out in Ninh Thuan

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)’s Animal Health Department on March 5 confirmed another outbreak of the deadly H5N1 avian flu.

The life-threatening virus was detected in hundreds of fowl in a flock located in Phuoc Thai commune in the central coastal province of Ninh Thuan.

As many as 500 fowls have been culled as a precautionary measure to stop the disease from spreading, officials stated.

The disease is on the move and has now struck a number of provinces nationwide; including Tay Ninh, Bac Lieu, Hai Duong and Binh Duong and it shows no sign of abating.

According to the Animal Health Department, by March 5 the H5N1 virus had spread to 23 provinces and cities. All infected poultry have been culled.

The Department raised concerns over the further spread and transmission of the deadly virus to humans, and has asked officials and the public in affected areas to intensify urgent preventive measures against the avian flu.

On March 4, the MARD provided 14,000 litres of sterilization chemicals for free to Tra Vinh and Nghe An provinces to help them stamp out the epidemic.

Market hotting up on women’s day

In the lead up to International Women’s Day (March 8), retailers and boutiques across the nation are launching  promotional  discounts on a  wide variety of gifts for women.

Men typically purchase beautiful flower arrangements and sentimental gifts for their beloved on this special day, while children most often find something special to give to their mothers and female teachers.

In the final days prior to Women’s Day, shops and vendors selling flowers and gifts are packed with men who put off shopping for gifts until the last minute, particularly in the capital Hanoi and Danang city.

This year, most customers seem to have veered away from the more traditional fresh flowers and postcards in favour of  more practical gifts like cosmetics, clothes and home appliances.

Many shopping centres and supermarkets in Hanoi like Vincom, Trang Tien Plaza, Big C, Metro, and CoopMart, are offering a series of sales promotions with discounts of up to 50% on March 8, as an alternative to higher priced floral arrangements.

Nguyen Thanh Mai, a shopkeeper in Tran Xuan Soan street, Hanoi, complained that fewer people this year are buying fresh flowers due to the unaffordable hike in prices.

This year, unique and relatively expensive gifts seem to be favoured by a large number of consumers, especially youngsters who prefer gold-inlaid roses.

An ordinary single red rose from Da Lat costs VND4,000-6,000, while roses in other colors sell for VND2,000-4,000.

However, the price of a gold-inlaid rose in chocolate color goes up to VND6 million and most 24k gold-inlaid roses cost from VND3 million - VND4.5 million each.

Gold-inlaid postcards are among the most favoured on the special day, too. Moreover, those who wish to present their beloved a special gift can order a gold-inlaid portrait by sending a portrait photo and paying VND1-2 million, depending on the size of the picture.

The gift market is blooming, and luxurious presents like cosmetics and jewellery abound, amidst a myriad of other hot selling items including pillows, glasses and key-holders with beautiful designs and affordable prices.

First Hanoi street named after VNA leader

A ceremony to unveil a plaque for a street named after Tran Kim Xuyen, the first journalist-war martyr of the revolutionary Vietnamese press and the first director of the Vietnam News Agency, took place in Hanoi on March 5.

The 550m Tran Kim Xuyen Street stretches 20m in width and is part of a new urban area in Cau Giay district.

Born in Huong Son district in the central province of Ha Tinh , Xuyen was appointed as Deputy Director of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Vietnam Information House after the 1945 August revolution. He was directly in charge of the Vietnam Thong Tan Xa, now Thong Tan Xa Vietnam (Vietnam News Agency). He was also a deputy of the first National Assembly.

Tran Kim Xuyen laid down his life on March 3, 1947 at the age of 26, becoming the first revolutionary journalist to die in battle.

Speaking at the event, VNA Director General Nguyen Duc Loi paid tribute to Xuyen for serving the country and its press, especially the VNA.

Deputy Head of the Hanoi Party Committee’s Department of Popularisation and Education, Phan Dang Long, said the fact that Hanoi has seen fit to name a street after Xuyen reflects his great contributions to national construction and development.

The honour is a milestone for both the VNA and his family, he said.

Japan helps improve nutrition for Vietnamese children

Japan continues to provide over US$447,600 for the implementation of a project improving the nutrition of children and ensuring food security for the poorest residents in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai.

A contract for the non-refundable aid provision was signed in Hanoi on March 5.

The project, a joint effort between Save the Children Japan and the Japanese government, aims to promote communication activities to provide knowledge on health and nutrition for mothers and pregnant women in the province.

One of the poorest provinces in the country, Yen Bai reported the rate of malnutrition among children at more than 20 percent, while the national average is 17 percent.

Since the 2012 fiscal year, Save the Children Japan with the Japanese government’s non-refundable aid has conducted numerous activities to help improve awareness on health and nutrition, increase cash income and provide information on agricultural production in Van Chan district.

Thanks to the new aid, the Japanese non-governmental organisation will continue implementing the activities. It will work with the provincial departments of health and agriculture and rural development to expand the household nutritious vegetable garden model, while seeking micro-credit for local women and training them in household finance.

Plan presented for northwest ethnic, religious affairs

The Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs and the Steering Committee for the Northwestern Region have sought to maximise their coordination in ethnic and religious affairs in 2014.

They will also coordinate with each other to implement a strategy on ethnic affairs by 2020 and build a project on sustainable socio-economic development models in the Northwestern, Central Highlands and Southwestern regions, and another on human resources development among ethnic minorities by 2020, heard a conference in Hanoi on March 5.

Both will work as advisors for the Political Bureau, the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat and the Government on ethnic affairs, especially those to improve living standards of free migrants in the Central Highlands and Northwestern regions.

The publicising of the Party’s policies and guidelines and the State’s laws towards ethnic groups also receives more attention from the two committees, according to the conference.

Apart from patriotic movements and new-style rural area building programme, the cooperation plan focuses on the building of the political system in the Northwestern region.

Last year, the two committees significantly contributed to helping spur local socio-economic development, reduce poverty, improve people’s living standards and ensure political security and social order in the region.

Trade union experts share cooperation experience

Leading trade union representatives from Vietnam and other Asia-Pacific countries have met recently in Ho Chi Minh City to share experience between unions and businesses.

The event was a joint venture organised by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), the Japanese Federation of Textile, Garment, Chemical, Food, Trade and Service Workers’ Union, and the Asia-Pacific Labour Network.

VGCL representative Vo Van Nhat praised Vietnam’s intention of building a harmonious, stable, advanced and mutually trusting relationship between trade unions and companies.

The VGCl is intent on building trade unions in all domestic businesses and 65% of foreign invested companies.

At present, various free trade agreements stipulate improved workers’ rights and thus the role of trade unions have increased, he said.

Participants agreed a fair balance between the interests of employees and employers is a decisive factor behind the success of any business.

Trade unions should encourage employees to actively contribute to the company’s development while protecting their legitimate rights and interests, they added.

According to Vice Chairman of the Japanese Federation Shoichi Hachino, Vietnam, in its international integration, has promoted its economic development, especially in trade.

More and more trans-national companies have invested in Vietnam, creating tough competition among businesses, he said, noting that companies need to devise sustainable, independent strategies and foster stronger link with unions to overcome such challenges.

Activities to mark International Francophone Day

Plans for the celebration of International Francophone Day (March 20) were announced at a March 5 Asia-Pacific Office of International Organisation of Francophonie (OIF) press conference in Hanoi.

The event aims to draw up cultural activities and exchange programmes, with a view to promoting the development of the French language and the French speaking community in Vietnam.

IOF Asia-Pacific Office Director Annisa Barak proposed music and dance performances with the participation of artists from Francophone Community member countries in Vietnam.

She revealed that OIF Director General Abdou Diouf is due to visit Vietnam on March 13-15 and attend a special ceremony to celebrate International Francophone Day.

The IOF always praises Vietnam’s commitment and involvement in Francophone activities she added.

Vu Anh Quang, deputy head of the MOFA’s Department of International Organizations, expressed thanks IOF members for their contributions and valuable support for Vietnam in recent years.

Vietnam will continue to take an active and responsible role in the French speaking community’s activities, contributing to cooperation projects between Vietnam and IOF member countries, he added.

Vietnam Airlines increases flights to Hue

National flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines will increase flights to Hue on the Hanoi-Hue and Hue-HCM City routes and vice versa from now until June 23.

The number of seats will be lifted to 400 per day on the HCM City-Hue route and 300 per day on the Hanoi-Hue route.

Budget airline VietJet Air in turn said it will launch a new HCM City-Da Lat air route from March 22 with seven flights, adding 2.520 seats per week.

From March 30, All Nippons Airways announced it will expand its Haneda-Hanoi air route by one flight per day.

Trolleys could help ease HCM City traffic congestion

Electric trolleys could soon ease traffic congestion in HCM City.

The city's Transport Department submitted a pilot project to put 50 trolleys into service in the city centre to the municipal People's Committee last May. However, the People's Committee has not yet provided feedback on the project.

To ease congestion in the city, public transportation such as buses, trolleys and subways must account for at least 40 per cent of traffic, according to Associate Professor Nguyen Xuan Mai from HCM-based University of Science and Technology, who has studied urban transport for years.

"Currently, public transportation meets only seven per cent of demand by commuters. So we need to increase public transportation options to reduce traffic jams," Mai said.

The capacity and weight of trolleys are two times higher than those of diesel buses, but their electric engines make them more environmentally friendly.

"About 315 trolley systems are currently used in cities and towns of 45 countries around the world. Therefore, we could negotiate the price if we invest in this vehicle," said Trinh Van Chinh from the University of Transport, the head of the project. He added that trolleys would reduce the nearly 3,000 motorbikes that hit the road each day and modernise the city's public transport system.

Experts estimated that the system would cost about US$2,350 per kilometre, a quarter of total capital for the city's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

Huge rich-poor gap cause for concern: report

The rich-poor and urban-rural gap in Viet Nam remains huge and is a serious problem that policy makers should pay due attention to, a new report says.

The report, released by Viet Nam's General Statistics Office (GSO) and the World Bank (WB) on Tuesday, shows that earnings of Vietnamese urban residents in 2012 were almost double of their rural counterparts. The average monthly income of people living in cities was VND3 million (US$142), against VND1.6 million ($76) in rural areas.

The country's poorest residents earned an average VND512,000 ($24) per month, up 38.5 per cent from 2010, while corresponding figures for the well-off were VND4.8 million ($227) and 40 per cent.

Tran Thi Hang, deputy head of GSO, said that her agency has always sought to improve the quality of its research and information in the service of domestic and international agencies.

She emphasised the need of making data more accessible for users and promoting its use by State-run agencies, research institutes and universities so that such studies play a greater role in residents' lives.

For instance, investigating and comparing the use of land over the last 10 years would provide a sound foundation for better land management in the country, she said.

The World Bank's lead economist for Viet Nam, Sandeep Mahajan, said the report can be considered a major tool for the bank, the country's policymakers and researchers. He echoed Hang's call for further promotion of similar studies.

The GSO conducts annual surveys on Vietnamese residents' living standards, based on several factors including monthly income and expenditure on food, education and healthcare.

HCM City sees infectious disease outbreaks increase

Municipal authorities have stepped up awareness and vaccination campaigns, worried about significant increases this year in the incidence of measles, chickenpox, dengue fever, mumps and hand-foot-mouth diseases.

Nguyen Tri Dung, head of the municipal preventive health department, said at a meeting yesterday that a vaccine shortage lasting almost one year has made it difficult to fight chickenpox in the city.

There have been 131 chickenpox cases in the last two months, an increase of 157 per cent over the same period last year.

His department has ordered the vaccines but do not know when it would get them. In the meantime, it is very important that residents maintain good hygienic habits, Dung said.

Children, the elderly and the malnourished are particularly at risk of contracting chicken pox, he warned, adding that pregnant women should avoid crowds.

The city has also seen an increase in measles outbreaks. More than 130 patients have been found with measles in last two months, a 20-fold increase compared with the same period last year.

A 36.7 per cent year-on-year increase in the incidence of dengue fever, a 21.5 per cent increase in hand-foot-mouth and a 39 per cent increase in mumps was also reported at the meeting.

The city has stepped up campaigns in schools and the larger communities to provide information and help residents take preventive measures, Dung said.

To increase immunization coverage, the department will administer measles vaccinations to all infants and toddlers (nine months to three years old) who have not yet had two shots of the vaccine.

They aim to administer 80,000-100,000 shots this week, Dung said.

Nguyen Huu Hung, deputy head of the city's Department of Health, said at the meeting that if there is no reduction in the incidence of measles, vaccinations could take place in schools as well.

Illegal boats pose threat on reservoir

More than 40 boats are operating illegally and posing safety threats to commuters on the reservoir connected to the Dakdrinh Hydro Power Plan in central Quang Ngai Province.

Since the reservoir began storing water last September, residents in the province's Son Tay District and communes in the neighbouring province of Kon Tum, made the shift to travel via boat across the reservoir, after road routes flooded.

The boats are mostly homemade vessels or modified sea boats fashioned by local residents. The boats have not been registered with the authorities to verify their capacity and safety.

According to a Vietnam News Agency reporter, drivers had not obtained licences to operate the vessels and boats were not equipped with life jackets, posing a significant risk to commuters.

Dinh Van Dao, who owns four boats operating on the reservoir, said he had acquired the boats because of an increase in demand from people wanting to travel from Quang Ngai Province to neighbouring Kon Tum Province by water.

Travelling across the reservoir by boat had provided a fast and more convenient method than travelling by road, he said. He added that prices were only between VND25,000 –VND50,000 (US$1.1 – 2.2) for one person and VND50,000 – VND100,000 ($2.2-4.4) per motorbike.

According to Dao, his boat can carry up to 50 motorbikes and drivers at any given time.

Dinh Xuan Duong, a police officer in Tay Son District said plant operators had setup drift signals to prevent people wandering too close to the dam, but local residents had continued to drive boats there, Duong said.

He warned that deep water levels could pose a danger to people who couldn't swim.

In an effort to address safety concerns, police have tried to raise awareness about waterway regulations and provided life jackets for more than 20 boats.

Boat owners have also been urged to register their boats with the authorities, a request which has been ignored by many.

HCN City resumes Thanh Da relocation project

The government of HCM City has pushed the relevant authorities to resume the relocation of the Thanh Da residential project, which has been on hold for years.

Accordingly, residents living in lots four and six, will be moved to new buildings due to the serious degradation of the site and the threat of landslides along the area of Sai Gon River. Several buildings which were built decades ago, have begun to lean.

Local citizens are concerned that lots four and six could fall into the river anytime. The city government has decided to relocate hundreds of households from these two lots, as a matter of urgency, so that they can begin rebuilding.

Duong Hong Thang, deputy chairman of Binh Thanh District People's Committee, said "We are working with the city Department of Construction on a final plan and the relocation plan will be announced this month."

The Committee's Office approved the acquisition of 1,050 apartments on Ward 12, Binh Thanh District, for the residents to be temporarily relocated to.

The Thanh Da Residential Area was built in the 1960s in Binh Thanh District's Ward 27 and was one of the first residential areas in HCM City. The area has a total of 22 lots and 4,300 households.

It is the thirteenth time the city has announced the relocation of residents living in Thanh Da, the first was announced in 2003.

Man seized for illegal weapons and drugs

The traffic police in the northern province of Quang Ninh caught a man red-handed yesterday for illegal possession of weapons and drugs.

While checking a car on its way from Ha Long city to Mong Cai city, the police found Nguyen Hoai Dung, 45, carrying a gun with five bullets. After further checking Dung's car, the police recovered another gun with five bullets, a black bag containing 488 brand-new bullets along with a package of crystal methamphetamine.

Dung had earlier been sentenced to eight years imprisonment by the Quang Ninh People's Court for illegally storing drugs. The case is being investigated.

Two injured in Saigon petrol explosion

A blast at a petrol station in the city's Thu Duc District injured two people on Tuesday night.

Eyewitnesses said that the two victims were injured by debris from the gas pumps.

Preliminary investigations suggested one of the causes of the explosion were obstructed petrol pipelines. The case is under further investigation.

The station was previously suspended for low-quality petrol in 2011.

Two Market Watch officers killed in traffic accident

Director of Le Chan District Power Company Dinh Van But was arrested after he surrendered himself to the police for allegedly running over and killing two men with his car.

The incident occurred yesterday afternoon in northern Hai Phongs Duong Kinh District.

But, 55, was reportedly driving a government vehicle at high speed, which rammed into two Market Watch officers. One of them died at the site of the accident, while the other died after being hospitalised.

The police are conducting further investigations into the case.

Plan presented for Northwest ethnic, religious affairs

The Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs and the Steering Committee for the Northwestern Region have sought to maximise their coordination in ethnic and religious affairs in 2014.

They will also coordinate with each other to implement a strategy on ethnic affairs by 2020 and build a project on sustainable socio-economic development models in the Northwestern, Central Highlands and Southwestern regions, and another on human resources development among ethnic minorities by 2020, heard a conference in Hanoi on March 5.

Both will work as advisors for the Political Bureau, the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat and the Government on ethnic affairs, especially those to improve living standards of free migrants in the Central Highlands and Northwestern regions.

The publicising of the Party’s policies and guidelines and the State’s laws towards ethnic groups also receives more attention from the two committees, according to the conference.

Apart from patriotic movements and new-style rural area building programme, the cooperation plan focuses on the building of the political system in the Northwestern region.

Last year, the two committees significantly contributed to helping spur local socio-economic development, reduce poverty, improve people’s living standards and ensure political security and social order in the region.

Seven railway bridges on north-south route inaugurated

Seven new bridges on the Hanoi- Ho Chi Minh City railway route have been open to traffic, helping shorten the running time of trains.

They were built at a total cost of nearly 26.5 million USD by Japan’s Tekken and Yokogawa companies and the Thang Long Construction Corporation.

Construction of the bridges in central Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces were completed in 22 months, five months ahead of the schedule.

It is part of a project enhancing safety of railway bridges along the north-south route. With an investment capital of 3.79 trillion VND (178.1 million USD), the project aims to replace 44 railway bridges in 15 provinces and cities.

The north-south single-track metre gauge line was put into use in 1936 with a total length of 1,726 km.

Upgrading the current railway system will help shorten the travelling time from 28 hours to 25 hours 24 minutes by 2020.

Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport has considered building a 1,435mm gauge dual track line that can run at speeds of up to 200km per hour in the future.-

UK helps Da Nang firms reduce carbon emissions

A workshop in the central city of Da Nang on March 4 sought an action plan to help its industrial park firms develop under the low carbon emission model.

The pilot project, the first of its kind in Vietnam, is funded by the UK’s Foreign Ministry with some 900 million VND (42,800 USD) for the 2013-2014 period, benefiting enterprises based in Da Nang’s seafood service industrial zone and Lien Chieu industrial park.

It is expected to provide in-house firms with tools to use energy effectively, monitor greenhouse emissions, recycle waste and launch effective links with management agencies, as part of efforts to realise Da Nang’s goal of becoming an environmentally-friendly city by 2020.

If successful, the model will reach out to other industrial zones across the nation.

The event was co-hosted by the UK’s Foreign Ministry, the Asia Foundation, the Institute for Industrial Policy and Strategy and the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment-

Source: VNS/VNA/VOV/SGGP/Dantri/Nhandan