VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNORE) is planning to prohibit some types of production activities in river valleys in an effort to protect the environment.

No more capable to receive waste water

Vietnam has three main river basins, namely the Cau River, Nhue – Day River and the Dong Nai River system. A report recently released by the MONRE’s environment directorate showed that the environment degradation of all the three river basins has become more and more serious. Especially, in some places, the situation has become alarming, incapable to receive more waste.

As for the Dong Nai River system, except for the areas from the Dong Nai River upstream to the Tri An hydropower plant, and from the Saigon River upstream to the Dau Tieng water reservoir which still can receive more waste at high level, the other areas can receive low- to- medium levels of waste.

The most alarming situation can be seen on the Thi Vai River and the surface water of the canal system in the inner city of HCM City and Bien Hoa City, which can no more receive waste.

The report has pointed out that the rivers have been poisoned by the industrial factories, craft villages, healthcare centers, hydropower plants, irrigation and mining. With the current economic development, the inter-provincial river basin areas are believed to become as seriously polluted as the current Cau, Nhue – Day and Dong Nai River basins.

Therefore, MONRE plans to prohibit the industrial production in some fields, including iron and steel production, cosmetics production and tanning.

Let actions bring regulations into life

Nguy Thi Khanh, Director of GreenID, a creation and green development center, a member of the policy lobbying committee of the Vietnam River Network, has voiced her support to the intention of MONRE to prohibit some types of industrial production activities.

Khanh said that this is an action that concretizes the strategy striving for environment protection and green development, strengthening the control over the technologies and waste resources.

However, she has asked to consider the ways of implementation in a thorough way. It would be necessary to consult with relating parties and local people’s community, because the strategy would have big impacts on the lives of local residents and local economic development.

It happened in the past that a lot of regulations were set up, but were never brought into life because of the problems in the implementation.

A survey conducted by GreenID has found out that local authorities and local people not only obeyed the laws, but they also considered the affections and gratitude of people, which forced local authorities treat violators with indulgence. Besides, the implementation would also much depend on the people’s updating of the laws and technologies.

“It’s now the time to change the viewpoint that economic development should be prioritized instead of the environment protection, or Vietnam will never be able to improve the current environmental situation,” Khanh said, though she stressed that a mater plan needs the cooperation of many involved parties, and that protecting the environment not simply means “prohibiting” or “restricting.”

Dr. Lam Minh Triet, head of the HCM City Water and Environment Technology Institute, also said that it is necessary to consider the prohibition thoroughly. Vietnam should not prohibit production activities, if the existing technologies can settle the pollution problem.

SGTT