Over the past decades, many people residing in Hoa Hiep Bac Ward, Lien Chieu District, Da Nang have been very much annoyed and depressed by the severe air and noise pollution caused by some factories operating in the Lien Chieu Industrial Park (IP).

Environmental pollution in Lien Chieu IP needs to be resolved

Although both residents and the local authorities have sent many petitions to functional bodies for further handling, this issue of deep concern has yet to be resolved completely.

Ngo Cong Long, a male resident in Hoa Hiep Bac Ward, complained that a large volume of dust emitted from the IP-based Vicem Hai Van cement factory, especially in the evening, has adversely affected the daily lives of households living nearby.

“Everything in my house is now covered with dust. It’s annoying”, complained Long .

He added, previously, a large number of heavy trucks daily run back and forth on Nguyen Phuoc Chu Street leading to the incinerator of the Vicem Hai Van cement factory, which posed a threat to other road users, especially pupils from nearby schools.

In response to residents’ complains, these trucking businesses have paid heed to spraying water onto the road surface to clear dust away, covering the loads on their vehicles with sheeting to prevent spillage onto the roads, and asking their drivers not exceed the speed limits.

The municipal Department of Natural Resources and the Environment has conducted random inspections of 21 manufacturing facilities operating in the Lien Chieu IP. As a result, a sum of over 755 million VND in fines has been imposed on 12 violated establishments.

From now until late this year, checks and inspections will be conducted on 4 other companies to identify whether or not they comply with the environment regulations. They are Da Nang Steel JSC, Ngu Hanh Son Cement JSC, Suc Tre Co., Ltd., and Da Nang Rubber JSC (DRC).

Meanwhile, the Lien Chieu District administration will check the operation of the Tin Thanh Electric Co., Ltd. as per request by residents.

Currently, the health protection belt between residential areas and the IP-based factories is not guaranteed in line with the regulations.

Following instructions from the municipal administration, functional bodies will closely work with the Sai Gon – Da Nang Investment Corporation, the developer of the Lien Chieu IP, to take back land which has been handed over to industrial factories in case they donot guarantee the regulated distance of 50m - 300m from residential areas in accordance with the regulations.

Also, the Sai Gon – Da Nang Investment Corporation has been asked to arrange its factories and warehouses in line with the prescribed distance.

Officially put into operation in 2004, the Lien Chieu IP specialises in chemical industry, construction materials, iron, steel, mechanics, surface processing, wood processing, food and some other industries.

The occupancy rate at this IP now reaches 67.5%.

Currently, 21 out of the 25 registered projects are under construction, whilst 2 others have yet to be deployed, and 2 have had their operation halted. A total of about 6,000 people now work in this IP. Landscape, drainage and environmental infrastructure construction here has been completed.