Pig farm with more than 3,000 pigs at the source of the stream, people worry about pollution

For more than 5 years, people in Dong Phu village (Quan Chu commune, Thai Nguyen province) have been constantly worried about the environment when a pig farm with a scale of more than 3,000 pigs went into operation. This pig farm is located upstream of a stream (local people call it Bo Vai stream) flowing out of Tam Dao forest.

According to local people, since the pig farm went into operation, it was also when people faced environmental concerns from a strong stench to the situation that the stream water often changed color, floated with odors, and mass fish deaths.

Leading reporters to the pig farm area, Mr. Vu Van Vui (Dong Phu hamlet, Quan Chu commune) said that this farm belongs to Mr. Than Van Hung's household, built and put into operation before 2020. "Many times the stench is unbearable. Local people are very worried when the pig farm is located in the stream head area, greatly affecting people's lives and agricultural production" - Mr. Vui angrily said.

Pointing to the waste tanks of the pig farm, Mr. Vui said that in February, fish in the stream died en masse, stretching for kilometers. The pig farm is located at the source, so it will definitely cause an impact.

Mr. Vui suggested: "Figs in the stream often die white for unknown reasons, and many livestock of people grazing around there are also affected. We hope functional agencies will have a plan to handle this situation so that it does not recur.

Sharing the same frustration, Mr. Nguyen Van Thuy (Dong Phu village, Quan Chu commune) said that 5 years ago, local people blocked the road to protest the pig farm's operation. "The pig farm is located at the headwaters, so it greatly affects people's lives. There are times when the stream water is muddy, many fish die, and a strong stench rises. The fact that the farm is located at the headwaters is unacceptable" - Mr. Thuy shared.

Also according to Mr. Thuy, since the pig farm went into operation, it has caused many consequences. Livestock of people grazing in the area near the stream bank are often sick. People are particularly worried that the pig farm operating for a long time will affect the environment and the lives of future generations.

Regarding this issue, in an exchange with PV, Mr. Duong Van Hinh - Vice Chairman of Quan Chu Commune People's Committee - informed that the locality has received feedback from people about the situation of fish deaths suspected to be due to the operation of pig farms. "When receiving feedback from people, functional forces conducted actual inspections and recorded the phenomenon of fish deaths. However, at the time of inspection, the stream water was still clear, without sediment and the cause of fish deaths was unknown" - Mr. Hinh said.

Also according to the leader of Quan Chu Commune People's Committee, the difficulty of the local government is the lack of specialized machinery to monitor and determine water quality. In the coming time, the commune will continue to monitor the operation of the pig farm, and at the same time report and propose to specialized agencies to get involved, inspect water quality, and ensure a living environment for people.