VietNamNet Bridge – On May 17 the General Department of Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) decided to impose nearly VND4 billion ($180,000) fines on three companies for polluting the Buoi River by discharging untreated wastewater.

Tons of fish died in Buoi River.

The fines are among the highest sanctions imposed on polluters in Vietnam.

The three polluters include: Tan Hieu Hung Co., Ltd, Hoa Binh Sugar JSC and Nguyen Ngoc Sang Pig Farm. All of them are located in Tan My commune, Lac Son district, in Hoa Binh province.

Specifically, Tan Hieu Hung has to pay fines of over VND1.92 billion (nearly $100,000) and it will be suspended for 12 months, starting from May 20, 2016.

For a series of violations in the field of environmental protection of the Hoa Binh Sugar JSC, this firm has to pay fines of VND1.78 (nearly $90,000). It will be suspended from operation for six months, starting from May 20th 2016.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Sang, the owner of Nguyen Ngoc Sang pig farm, is fined with VND194 million ($8,000). His farm is suspended from discharging wastewater to the environment for three months, as of May 20th 2016.

These facilities must build wastewater treatment facilities to meet regulations on environment before resuming their operations.

They are also responsible to deal with the current pollution situation and to pay compensation to individuals and organizations affected by pollution. The compensation will be paid based on negotiation between the two sides.

These firms must submit their plans to solve pollution and designs of their wastewater treatment stations to the relevant agencies before June 20th 2016.

As VietNamNet has reported, fish died massively in early May in the Buoi River, which runs through Thanh Hoa and Hoa Binh Province, causing heavy losses for fish breeders in Thanh Hoa Province.

Initial investigation defined wastewater from the Hoa Binh Sugar JSC as the main cause of the pollution. However, an overall investigation later found two more polluters, the pig farm and the Tan Hieu Hung Co., Ltd.

Recently at least three cases of massive fish deaths have occurred in several provinces in Vietnam, causing worry for the public, including the case in four central coastal provinces of Vietnam considered the first disaster of its kind in the country, the case of the Buoi River in Thanh Hoa Province, and most recently the death of tons of fish in HCM City’s Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal after downpours.

Linh Nhat