Government body looks deeper into Vedan case

Vedan has invested in a waste water treatment system

“In six months of close supervision by government agencies, Vedan has clearly realised its responsibility, seriously repaired its violations with a repentant attitude. The firm has positively invested in cleaning up the environment to rebuild its image,” commented the vice chief of the Environment General Department Bui Cach Tuyen.

Tuyen affirmed that surveys show that the water quality of the Thi Vai River, which runs through HCM City, Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, is being improved remarkably.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that Vedan had seriously made good its violations so the Thi Vai River is being revived. However, these are just the initial results because Vedan has 21 waste treatment lakes which are latent threats to the environment inside and outside the plant.

Minister Pham Khoi Nguyen agreed to keep close watch on these lakes, which he said were “very polluted”. The official said this is the first time Vedan has seriously kept its promise by investing dozens of million US dollars in tackling environmental pollution.

“Around 5-7 years ago, they (Vedan) promised several times but they didn’t keep their promises. I hope that this will be the last,” Nguyen said.

Attendants at the meeting with the MONRE’s mission agreed that Vedan had to compensate farmers in the three above provinces. Previously, Vedan said it would pay compensation of 25 billion dong or US$1.47 million, including seven billion dong to farmers in Dong Nai, another seven billion dong to farmers in HCM City, and six billion dong to farmers in Ba Ria-Vung Tau. But farmers didn’t agree with the compensation.

Vice Chairman of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Huynh Ngoc Toi said that it is necessary to differentiate between compensation and assistance and to have an independent agency calculate the losses of farmers. He said it was necessary to measure the pollution caused by Vedan to set the compensation levels. The representative of the Environmental Police Agency agreed with Toi.

Minister Pham Khoi Nguyen said the MONRE’s viewpoint is that the polluters have to rectify their violations. The ministry doesn’t consider compensation a big issue, but calls for polluters to take responsibility in the case of the local people.

“Negotiation is the best. It is difficult for both Vedan and farmers to bring the case to court. I recommend Vedan better care about and be responsible towards the people,” Nguyen said.

The Environment General Department asked the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment to propose that the government transfer Vedan’s fine and environmental protection fees to the Vietnam Environmental Protection Fund in the second quarter of 2009 to invest in projects to deal with consequences of Vedan’s pollution of the Thi Vai River.

The local governments of HCM City, Dong Nai, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau were asked to calculate losses caused by Vedan and other polluters so as to determine compensation for local people.

(Source: VNN)