Environmental pollution and road construction for bauxite transport were among the hot issues queried about the most by local media at a news briefing hosted by Dong Nai province last week.
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| Road construction for bauxite transport is among hot issues in Dong Nai |
Environmental pollution and road construction for bauxite transport were among the hot issues queried about the most by local media at a news briefing hosted by Dong Nai province last week.
The environmental concern comes as Dong Nai General Services and Agriculture Cooperative (Dona Coop) late last month announced to develop a cemetery project named An Vien Vinh Hang at Vinh Cuu district in Dong Nai province.
The burial-ground project, which will cover 116 hectares and cost around VND500 billion, will be built as a park-like graveyard. When in place, it will accommodate some 60,000 graves and some 30,000 places for bone-ash storage.
The problem is that the project is located near the Dong Nai River which passes through several provinces and cities including HCMC. That has sparked concerns over whether the environmental aspect had been thoroughly weighed before the provincial authorities approved such a major cemetery project.
Vo Van Chanh, Vice Director of the province’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said the province understood the potential risk of pollution that might come from the project, thus the environmental effect assessment had been carefully done before the project approval.
Chanh cited figures on the environmental effect assessment as saying that a water treatment system for 90 cubic meters of waste water and some 30,000 cubic meters of rain water would be built with an automatic system to monitor discharged water round the clock.
He said that exhaust fumes and dusts from the crematorium would be treated to minimize air pollution. Meanwhile graves would be built with concrete and water-proof materials to limit underground pollution.
Another environmental concern is development of a lot of hydropower plants on the Dong Nai River, most recently Dong Nai 6 and 6A projects.
Tran Van Mui, Director of Dong Nai Biosphere, said too much hydropower development on the river would destroy hundreds of hectares of forest and damage the Dong Nai Biosphere that has been recognized by UNESCO.
The biosphere section now includes Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai natural reserve and vestiges and the eco-lake Tri An.
Besides the environmental concerns, the media asked tough questions about bauxite transportation from Tan Rai in Lam Dong Province through National Road 20 and provincial road 769.
Heavy-duty trucks carrying bauxite will head to Go Dau port on National Road 20, provincial road 769 from Dau Giay to Long Thanh district, and National Road 51. There is growing concern that these roads will soon deteriorate.
A representative of the provincial transport department said the Ministry of Transport had planned to urgently upgrade the two roads. The plan has been approved by late last year and its construction is scheduled from 2011 to 2014. However, the project remains on paper due to lack of financing.
Vo Van Chanh, Vice Director of the province’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said the province understood the potential risk of pollution that might come from the project, thus the environmental effect assessment had been carefully done before the project approval.
Chanh cited figures on the environmental effect assessment as saying that a water treatment system for 90 cubic meters of waste water and some 30,000 cubic meters of rain water would be built with an automatic system to monitor discharged water round the clock.
He said that exhaust fumes and dusts from the crematorium would be treated to minimize air pollution. Meanwhile graves would be built with concrete and water-proof materials to limit underground pollution.
Another environmental concern is development of a lot of hydropower plants on the Dong Nai River, most recently Dong Nai 6 and 6A projects.
Tran Van Mui, Director of Dong Nai Biosphere, said too much hydropower development on the river would destroy hundreds of hectares of forest and damage the Dong Nai Biosphere that has been recognized by UNESCO.
The biosphere section now includes Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai natural reserve and vestiges and the eco-lake Tri An.
Besides the environmental concerns, the media asked tough questions about bauxite transportation from Tan Rai in Lam Dong Province through National Road 20 and provincial road 769.
Heavy-duty trucks carrying bauxite will head to Go Dau port on National Road 20, provincial road 769 from Dau Giay to Long Thanh district, and National Road 51. There is growing concern that these roads will soon deteriorate.
A representative of the provincial transport department said the Ministry of Transport had planned to urgently upgrade the two roads. The plan has been approved by late last year and its construction is scheduled from 2011 to 2014. However, the project remains on paper due to lack of financing.
(Source: SGT)
