Six companies to be suspended for river pollution

HCM City (VNA) - The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on Nov. 19 told the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provincial People's Committee to suspend operations of six companies polluting the Thi Vai river.

Bui Cach Tuyen, deputy director of the General Environment Department,
said an inspection at the industrial parks where the companies are located
revealed that that large quantities of untreated waste were being dumped
into the river.

The six companies are Liem Chinh Company, Dong Nam Seafood One-Member Co.
Ltd, My Xuan Paper Maker, Vung Tau Paper and Plastic Packaging Company, Hai
Viet Refinery and Packaging Factory and Tien Dat Seafood Processing Company.

On the same day, the inspection team also gave the Dong Nai Provincial
People's Committee a list of 50 enterprises located in the province
polluting the Thi Vai River , said Luong Duy Hanh, head of the team.

The companies have been charged with dumping more effluents than
permitted, failing to treat waste water appropriately, and not paying
environment fees.

Ao Van Thinh, deputy chairman of the provincial People's Committee, said
most polluters were textile and dye companies.

Companies who pollute had to pay compensation to affected residents, he
added.

A recent ministry report said that rapid industrialization over the past
decade had caused serious pollution of a 10km section of the river.

Several companies have discharged waste water into the Ba Bo Canal, where
the water remains black, according to Tran Thi Kim Van, deputy chairwoman of
Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee.

The provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment said other
companies in the province were still discharging effluents into the canal.

The department said two enterprises in Song Than I Industrial Park and 32
enterprises in the Song Than II Industrial Park were not connected to waste
water treatment systems in industrial parks.-Enditem