Effective solutions to reduce environmental pollution in river basins and craft villages

The Committee on Science , Technology and Environment has just reviewed the implementation of tasks and budget for environmental protection and climate change response in 2023 and projected tasks and budget for environmental protection and climate change response in 2024.

Regarding the implementation of tasks and state budget on environmental protection in 2023, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh said that in 2023, the Ministry has researched and developed Technical Guidelines on planning for surface water quality management in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 and organized dissemination and guidance for localities. Organize assessment of the carrying capacity of surface water environment and develop water quality management plans for a number of inter-provincial river basins; initially focusing on 04 river basins that are currently hot spots of water pollution: Cau, Nhue - Day, Vu Gia - Thu Bon, Dong Nai. Focus resources on implementing many solutions to completely handle sources of waste causing environmental pollution from craft villages and industrial clusters; in 2023, focus on handling hot spots of pollution in Ngu Huyen Khe and Bac Hung Hai rivers.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh.

Regarding air quality management, especially in large cities, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment continues to effectively implement the National Action Plan on Air Quality Management to 2020, with a vision to 2025; the National Plan on Air Quality Management for the 2021-2025 period; and the Directive on strengthening air pollution control with many urgent and important solutions.

In 2023, the Prime Minister was reported on the results of implementing Directive No. 03/CT-TTg dated January 18, 2021 of the Prime Minister on strengthening control of air pollution. In particular, the Ministry proposed and recommended that the Prime Minister continue to direct ministries, People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities to implement the Prime Minister's Directive and related Decisions; request cities at high risk of air pollution, especially Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, to carry out activities to assess and monitor air quality and publicize information; warn the community and implement treatment measures in case of air pollution; inspect, prevent and strictly handle cases of burning waste in violation of regulations, causing environmental pollution; guide households to effectively use, collect and reuse straw and agricultural by-products after harvest instead of burning them in the fields.

According to Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh, the Ministry has issued a document urging localities to strengthen air pollution control and thoroughly handle hot spots of dust and gas pollution. In addition, the Ministry has proactively and strictly controlled large sources of emissions (industrial parks, industrial clusters, craft villages, projects, large production and service establishments, etc.). Maintain the coordination method between the Central and local levels in controlling, monitoring, and resolving establishments causing environmental pollution and arising environmental issues.

Image of air pollution in a craft village (photo: Natural Resources and Environment newspaper).

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has formed a new method and mindset for managing environmental issues, shifting from passively solving to proactively preventing and controlling, mastering monitoring and pollution prevention technology. Many large projects have been strictly controlled for environmental protection to officially operate, making important contributions to local growth. Investment activities in installing automatic wastewater monitoring equipment, continuously transmitting data directly to state management agencies on environmental protection have received strong attention and investment from localities and organizations. Many models of urban, rural areas, industrial parks, craft villages, and ecological and environmentally friendly production facilities have appeared.

Environmental pollution in river basins and craft villages is still a difficult problem.

Contributing to the implementation of tasks and state budget on environmental protection in 2023, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Ta Dinh Thi said that in the past time, the Government and the Prime Minister have issued many documents and implemented many activities to handle plastic waste. However, in the Government's Report, there is no assessment report on this work. Therefore, it is recommended that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment as well as relevant units continue to assess the status of plastic waste treatment.

Vice Chairman of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Ta Dinh Thi.

In addition, the environmental pollution of river basins is still a difficult problem. However, in recent times, the pollution of river basins has become a pressing issue and solutions to overcome it are still inadequate and limited. At meetings with voters in some northern provinces and cities, people are still concerned about the environmental pollution of the Nhue River.

According to Vice Chairman of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Ta Dinh Thi, in recent years, we have had solutions to reduce environmental pollution in river basins. For example, the Prime Minister has had projects, and ministries and branches have also had many specific actions.

However, the actual transformation is still very difficult and requires comprehensive solutions, so it is recommended that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and relevant ministries and branches need to supplement solutions, especially related to the three river basins: Cau River, Nhue - Day River and Saigon - Dong Nai River.

Regarding environmental pollution in craft villages, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Ta Dinh Thi stated: In the revision of the Capital Law, if we do not have specific policies or create a difference, it will be very difficult to solve environmental pollution in craft villages. Therefore, the revision of the Capital Law needs to focus on this content.

In addition, solutions to protect the landscape, biological environment, and handle the backlog of 1,456 scrap containers at seaports are still very difficult, so they need to be resolved soon./.

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