A rendering of the suspended waste treatment and power generation plant in Cẩm Giàng District, Hải Dương Province. — Photo dantri.com.vn

HẢI DƯƠNG — Hải Dương Province has decided to suspend a project to build a waste treatment and power generation plant in Lương Điền Commune, Cẩm Giàng District, according to the leader of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment.

The project, which was in the site clearance and compensation phase, was halted because of environmental issues and opposition from local residents, the official told Dân Trí online newspaper.

On Monday, provincial Party Secretary Nguyễn Mạnh Hiển held a dialogue with Party members and representatives of commune residents on issues related to the project, which was approved for investment by the provincial People's Committee.

He said the project was carefully considered by the province with the goal of minimising environmental pollution.

However, local Party members were still concerned about the distance from the proposed location of the plant to residential areas and potential environmental impacts.

The project also did not receive support from local residents, Hiển said. The newspaper reported that many residents said the plant would be too close to residential areas, schools and spiritual sites.

Hải Dương People's Committee has asked relevant agencies and the locality to choose another location for the plant that will protect the interests of residents. It has also asked the locality to consider investors' proposal to raise the capacity of the plant from the initially approved level of 500 tonnes of waste per day to 1,000 tonnes.

The plant, which was expected to deal with waste for Cẩm Giàng District, had a total investment of US$45 million. — VNS