According to Decision 64/2003/QD-TTg dated 22 April 2003, relating to serious environmental pollution, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has targeted 71 units which will be handled.

To implement this decision, the MOIT has tasked one senior official at ministerial level and one official at department level to participate in the steering committee on implementing the decision. It has positively coordinated with localities to ask establishments that cause environmental pollution to develop relocation plans or treat pollution while asking concerned ministry and sectors to apply appropriate support policies.

The ministry has directed corporations and companies to assess their establishments which cause serious environmental pollution. It established an inspectorate to directly examine pollution in establishments listed in Decision 64. In addition the ministry has organized training courses and a special seminar to raise official capacity on environmental protection and supported units to apply pollution prevention and mitigation solutions. In addition, it has closely cooperated with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Office of Decision 64 Steering Committee to inspect, step up and handle difficulties for enterprises that are struggling to strictly follow the decision.

On April 2, the Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai chaired an online meeting with the central people's committee of provinces/cities to assess and review the implementation of the Decision 64 in 439 establishments. MOIT reported that until February 2011, 34/71 establishments in the industry and trade sector had been granted certification for thoroughly handling environmental pollution in accordance with the decision and 25/71 establishments basically had followed requirements laid out, but had not been granted certification. However, 12/71 establishments were in the process of implementing the decision.

According to MOIT, one of the biggest reasons for the postponement of the implementation of Decision 64 is financial difficulties. Most of establishments listed have faced business difficulties. They have had to deal with two problems simultaneously. In addition, most of enterprises have to take loans from commercial banks to invest in pollution treatment. This in some cases is because they have not yet been granted land use right certificates resulting in failure in getting the loan. Other enterprises have had to relocate their establishments because they are listed in plans to build public works resulting in their failure in transferring land use rights to get capital for relocating their establishments.

The transformation and rearrangement of state-owned enterprises have created difficulties or made enterprises confused when they implement relocation and pollution treatment projects. Many enterprises have not enough space to build waste treatment systems on a plant scale. Other difficulties include relocation budgets or some enterprises which have implemented pollution treatment projects but their environmental surveillance targets have not met standard.

To tackle difficulties and thoroughly solve environmental pollution problems, the MOIT proposed to continuously study and promulgate appropriate mechanisms to provide financial support for establishments that have to relocate in accordance with the Decision 64. It is necessary to have special policy to stabilize the prices of land hire in Industrial Zones and create favorable conditions for relocated establishments in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria Vung Tau and Ha Noi.

It is necessary to step up the studying, building and collecting of pollution treatment technology, providing consultation and transferring technology so that establishments can select appropriate technology models to build and implement their pollution treatment projects. In addition, a network of technical specialists and consultants should be strongly developed to help establishments assess, build and implement projects on pollution treatment. Inspection and monitoring from ministries, sectors and localities over establishments causing serious environmental pollution should be enhanced progressively in order to increase the pressure and give necessary support for establishments to seriously follow legal regulations on environmental protection and Decision 64./.

Source: VEN.