VietNamNet Bridge – Ngo Anh Tuan, Deputy Head of the HCM City Management Board of Industrial Zones and Export Processing Zones (Hepza), said that Hepza will continue naming the names of polluters over the mass media in its fight against environmental pollution.

Pipes through which untreated waste water goes directly into the Dong Dien River

The enterprises all promised to settle the problems as soon as they can. Representatives of many enterprises on the list said that after their names were listed announced, their friends and partners called and criticised them for their activities. Several banks have announced they will not provide capital for polluters.

To date, two companies have reported that they have settled the problems, namely Hoang Ha and Quang Huy in Vinh Loc Industrial Zone. We have sent staffs to inspect their workshops and we have decided to strike the two companies from the black list.

Are you sure that they will not pollute the environment again in the future?

This depends on many factors, including the awareness of enterprises about environmental protection. However, Hepza will do necessary things to prevent violations 1/ create an automatic observation system in order to supervise and control the waste water in industrial zones 2/ provide training courses on environmental protection for environmental staffs in enterprises in industrial zones 3/ punish polluters.

Some experts say state management agencies dare not heavily punish polluters. If enterprises have to shut down, workers will lose their jobs. What is the Hepza’s viewpoint about that?

If local authorities shut down enterprises and this causes unemployment, the leaders of enterprises will be at fault and have to take responsibility for this.

The experts also say that if Vietnam sets overly high requirements on environmental protection, enterprises will not make investments, which will badly affect the investment environment. What would you say about that?

Regarding the policy on investment licencing, I think that projects with high brain content that use clean and high technologies will be preferable, while the projects that may cause environmental pollution will not be welcomed.

I personally think that the current regulations stipulate too gentle punishments for polluters and I think they should be amended.

Mai Loan