The factory in the photo belongs to Hoa Phat Group’s Hoa Phat Steel Integrated Complex in the northern province of Hai Duong. This plant is located near a residential area in Kinh Mon district’s Duy Tan Commune.
According to locals, the smoke from Hoa Phat factory’s chimneys is suffocating during the night hours. They said that despite closing all doors and windows, they still cannot sleep. Furthermore, the factory also releases iron filing, affecting local people’s food and drink.
In addition, the factory’s sewage is directly poured into the Kinh Thay River, massively polluting the locals’ water supply. This seriously affects their farm products and plants, limiting the local economy.
However, Hoa Phat Group completely denied accusations of environmental pollution. The group admitted that the photos of chimneys releasing smoke are real, but that was because the plant stopped blast-furnace No.2 for maintenance and upgrade. To support its claim, the group submitted a document on stopping the blast-furnace to the local authority.
Not only Hoa Phat Group, but also many enterprises were revealed to cause serious environmental pollution through violating regulations. Binh Dinh Sugar JSC (Bisuco), 97 per cent held by Indian-based NIVL JSC, has just been suspended for this very reason.
Ho Quoc Dung, Chairman of the Binh Dinh People’s Committee, said that Bisuco caused serious pollution by directly eliminating sewage into the Kon River. The local authorities have many times warned and directed the firm to fix its violations, but went unheeded.
Lately, on April 9, the Thanh Hoa Environment Police caught workers of Nam Canh JSC (specialised in producing pulp and votive paper) discharging wastewater directly into the Ma River.
On March 31, the Hung Yen Department of Irrigation and the Hung Yen Environment Police caught workers of an abrasive company discharging wastewater into the North Hung Hai irrigation systems.
Source: VIR