Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Truong Quang Nghia re-affirmed the city’s firm stance on the environmental protection, the State management of land and mineral resources at Tuesday’s meeting with the leaders of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, and representatives from relevant local agencies. 

Secretary Nghia delivering his instructions about environmental protection

The city’s Party chief underlined a must-do to tighten the State management of the use of land resources in combination with the maintenance of security and defences and the  specific planning mechanisms in the locality.

Furthermore, effective measures should be taken to monitor the strict observance of the city’s environmental protection regulations by businesses operating in industrial parks and clusters.  A close eye should be also kept on mineral exploitation and processing establishments.

In addition, heavy administrative penalties have been imposed on environmental violations, for instance, the discharge of untreated waste water into the environment.

The city top leader remarked that these above-mentioned actions aim at helping the city successfully implement its ongoing landmark project ‘Building Da Nang into an Environmentally-friendly City’.

One of the tough decisions made by the city leaders for the sake of the environmental protection is the suspension of the operations of the Dana-Y and Dana-Uc steel factories, both located in Hoa Vang District’s Hoa Lien Commune, due to their reportedly polluting activities.

The steel factories are located alongside a section of the extended Nguyen Tat Thanh route, which adversely affects the city’s general planning structure

Meanwhile, the two plants are still allowed to continue their transport, import-export and administrative activities, under the condition that the time, and types of vehicle and number of people involved in these processes must be reported to the Hoa Lien Commune authorities for supervision.

Previously, the city had weighed in on whether to close these factories or relocate nearby residents.  As the shutdown option was adopted, the city also cancelled the resettlement plan.

The city’s approvals for the construction of Dana Y and Dana Uc at the Thanh Vinh industrial complex were made in 2007 and 2008 respectively.  However, there have been thin walls separating these factories from residential areas. 

Many days ago, a large number of local residents continuously complained that the operations of the 2 steel factories have affected the local landscape and residents’ lives, and were not in line with the development orientation for the area.  They protested  outside the factories, putting up tents to show their determination to get the situation resolved because they could not stand unbearable” dust and noise that have bothered them for many years.

A total of 1,300 chrysanthemum pots withered due to the polluting activities of the Dana-Y factory

During last year’s inspection visit to the factories, Secretary Nghia asked the local administration to “solve the problem once and for all”, saying that steel development is not a priority aspect in the city.

The total annual compensation of between around 200 billion VND and 300 billion VND from the city budget for the shutdown will be given to the factories.   Another arising problem is that a total of 1,200 workers at these plants suddenly become unemployed. 

However, put aside these matters, the shutdown decision helps to resolve the environmental pollution, relieve the city’s burden of displacing families residing in the factories’ neighbouring areas.  

And above all else, the city government’s decision clearly demonstrates its great efforts to turn the locality into a liveable, environmentally-friendly, modern peaceful and civilised city with sustainable development.

Also at the working session, the city leaders urged the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment to take effective measures to resolve such environmental pollution hotspots as the Tho Quang Fishing Wharf, the Khanh Son Waste Dump, and areas in the basin of the Phu Loc River.