Nguyen Van Phuoc, vice director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DoRE), dismisses suspicions that the Government hushed up repeated environmental violations by Hao Duong Leather Co.

Nguyen Van Phuoc,  vice director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (Photo :SGGP)

Question: How does the government deal with such violations?

Nguyen Van Phuoc: DoRE will impose stringent penalties on companies that repeatedly flout violations. Recently, it slapped the maximum punishments on violating companies and also publicized their names to warn others.

Q: Some people say Hao Duong has the temerity to be a repeat offender only because of the lax attitude of DoRE…

DoRE officials have conducted periodic and surprise checks. Whenever it discovered a violation not in its jurisdiction, the department [recommended to] the city People’s Committee and Environment Police to sue.

However, the department does not the have the personnel to detect clandestine acts by over 3,000 companies in 24 districts and 900 others in 15 industrial zones. I assure that the department has not relaxed or covered up wrongdoings.

It does not have the authority to shut down the company [Hao Duong] without the approval of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

DoRE inspectors and the Environment Police have sealed the company’s wastewater discharge facilities. Inspectors and the Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park must work together to carry out regular checks of the company.

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