BÌNH THUẬN — Bình Thuận Province People’s Committee has proposed to Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc the establishment of a focal agency to address the problems posed by five thermal power plants at Vĩnh Tân Power Centre, the Vietnam News Agency reports.

The proposal was made at a meeting on Monday between the provincial People’s Commitee and National Assembly delegation.

According to province head Nguyễn Ngọc Hải, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) had asked Vietnam Electricity (EVN) to take charge. However, EVN has not implemented any monitoring activities at the centre until now, reported the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Speaking at the meeting, Hải said the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) was re-evaluating environmental impact assessment reports, inspecting construction sites, implementing environment protection mechanisms and preparing a monitoring plan for large projects that pose threats to the environment, including projects at Vĩnh Tân Power Centre.

However, projects at Vĩnh Tân Power Centre do not feature in the 2018 inspection plan earlier approved by MoNRE. Several solutions to pollution-related issues at Vĩnh Tân Power Centre were also proposed by the provincial authorities. A plan on special management of projects with high risks of environmental pollution was proposed to be submitted to the Prime Minister at the earliest.

Việt Nam Environment Authority was assigned the responsibility to conduct inspection and evaluation of all projects at Vĩnh Tân Power Centre and assess their environment safety levels.

MoIT asked project investors to set up a plan of ash and slag consumption to accelerate the treatment of thermal plant waste, turning them to sources for the construction material industry. EVN was also tasked with being the focal agency, cooperating with local authorities at Vĩnh Tân Power Centre and moderating the process of composing the management mechanisms at the centre.

The environment impact assessment of projects was urgently asked to be implemented, focusing on Hòn Cau Sea Preservation Area and livelihoods of locals. — VNS