Vietnamese province cracks down on industrial polluters

Vietnam’s Central Quang Ngai Province's Natural Resources and Environment Department will force enterprises causing serious environmental pollution to make good the damage, and repeat offenders will be shut down, according to Department Director Le My Lien.

Lien's announcement came after the provincial People's Committee publicly announced a list of 11 violating businesses, but failed to apply effective measure to tackle the problem.

Deteriorating environments in residential areas neighboring the province's 15 industrial areas and craft villages remain a concern amongst local people.

Dong Dinh industrial area in Nghia Hanh District's Cho Chua Township, in operation since 2006, is an example. Without treatment facilities, enterprises in the complex have discharged their wastewater directly into the environment.

Ironically, a sewage system was designed for the area, but the zone's Deputy Managing Director Phan Anh Tuan said lack of investment has translated into sluggish construction.

According to Vietnam News Agency in Quang Ngai, the violating enterprises operate on a small scale with investments between VND5-7 billion (USD238,000-330,000) which leaves them little to spare on environmental protection.