Profit from businesses, pollution bears on people
Taking us to the sunken canal flowing through Quyet Thang residential group (Truong Quang Trong ward, Quang Ngai city), Mr. Nguyen Van Kinh, former Head of the residential group, was very upset. He said that since the craft village industrial cluster came into operation, black wastewater, emitting a foul smell from production facilities, has been poured directly into the canal flowing through Quyet Thang residential group. People do not dare to use canal water for irrigation, nor do they dare to use well water because they are worried that pollution will seep into the ground. "We had to learn to buy tap water from another place to use," said Mr. Kinh.
Mr. Kinh even brought thick black wastewater samples from this canal to the meeting with voters of the Provincial People's Council for the delegates to witness firsthand.
It is very difficult to catch the discharge unit red-handed
According to research, there are currently 16 enterprises operating in Tinh An Tay industrial cluster - craft village, specializing in the production of products with high levels of pollution such as plastic, packaging, paper, etc. However, there is still no centralized wastewater treatment system here. The reporter's actual record
seen, the water from the sunken canal flowing through Quyet Thang residential group is black and gives off an unpleasant smell.
Mr. Nguyen Hong Quang, resident of Quyet Thang residential group, said that since the Tinh An Tay craft village industrial cluster came into operation, the canal near his house has been considered "dead".
Every year, at the end of April, when Thach Nham canal stops releasing water into the fields, the wastewater thickens up and becomes black. My well is only about 50m from the canal, so I don't dare to use it in the summer because I'm afraid of illness," Mr. Quang worried. He affirmed that people have petitioned many times but pollution has not been resolved.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Truong Thanh Thao, Chairman of Truong Quang Trong Ward People's Committee, said that on the morning of May 6, the ward continued to receive feedback from people about the serious pollution situation in the sunken canal through Quyet Thang residential group.
"Every year at this time, the canal is pitch black and smells foul. When people reported, the police and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Quang Ngai City both went down to inspect and fined a paper manufacturing enterprise hundreds of millions of VND for discharging waste into the canal. But to thoroughly handle it is very difficult because we have to catch the discharge behavior red-handed," Mr. Truong Thanh Thao admitted.
Regarding the long-term solution, Mr. Thao said that when the land lease term expires, businesses in the craft village industrial cluster will be relocated out of residential areas. "The Ward People's Committee will continue to report to the Quang Ngai City government to have a thorough handling direction, ensuring a living environment for people", Mr. Truong Thanh Thao informed.
