Industrial pollution management tightened

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung stressed the vital need for environmental protection and underlined the government's consistent commitment to the policy.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment reported that there were positive environmental protection activities last. However, there were major issues in terms of pollution, Many industrial zones lacked infrastructure to minimise environmental problems. This meant the minister would need to carefully inspect firms that could cause environmental damage.

"We will inspect all industrial zones, enterprises and craft villages which can harm the environment. In addition, there will be a specific drive over the next two to three years to deal with environmental problems in those industrial zones and enterprises which harm the environment", Tran Hong Ha - Minister of Natural Resources and Environment - said.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung stressed the importance of environment protection work. He required the ministry to not licence projects that could harm the environment.

"The ministry needs to closely monitor project assessment process. The assessment is very important. After the environmental incident caused by Formosa, it is a lesson for Vietnam", Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said.

Deputy Prime Minister Dung also asked the ministry to apply strict punishments for businesses that pollute the environment.