Firms evade environmental protection fees in HCMC

A number of enterprises based in Ho Chi Minh City have become debtors of the Municipal Environmental Protection Sub-department, not paying charges fixed by the city, a report says.

According to the sub-department, as of this month, more than 30 enterprises had not paid environment protection charges of about VND3 billion (US$154,000) for wastewater treatment alone.

Tran Ngoc Dinh, an official of the sub-department, said environmental protection charges had been collected since 2004 under Prime Minister's Decree 67.

However many enterprises in the city were still trying to avoid their obligations, he said.

Some of the enterprises had evaded payments for several years, Dinh said.

The Phan Muoi Company in Hoc Mon district, for instance, owes environmental protection fees of VND51 million ($2,600), but to date, it has paid nothing, he said.

The Hau Sanh Company in Tan Binh District owed the department VND55 million ($2,800), and while the Binh Trung Dong Company in district 2 owed VND57 million ($2,900).

"We have many times sent warning letters to the enterprises. We have also discussed this issue several times with them. However, the situation has not changed," Dinh said.

While some of the establishments had closed, many were still in operation.

Nguyen Minh Hoang, deputy director of the municipal Environmental Protection Sub-department, attributed the evasion to a lack of serious punitive measures.

The sub-department was tasked to collect environmental protection charges from local enterprises but it did not have the authority to penalize violations, Hoang said.

Current environmental protection charges are very low, accounting for a small part of the total costs the city has to pay for processing wastewater and improving the environment, he said.

Enterprises in the city have to pay just VND250 for one kilo of contaminated water that exceeds chemical-oxygen-demand (COD) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) specifications, he said.

The report shows that many enterprises that have not paid their environmental protection dues continue to discharge polluted water into the environment, but have not been penalized.

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Vehicles to be banned for anniversary celebrations

Vehicles will be banned from central city to assure traffic order and safety during the 10-day 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi celebrations.

The Hanoi Transport Department says all vehicles will be banned in the Ly Thai To Park precinct and limited around Hoan Kiem Lake before the opening ceremony at 7am Friday, October 1.

Vehicles will also be prohibited from Ba Dinh Square; Hung Vuong Road; Doc Lap-Hoang Van Thu; the Nguyen Canh Chan-Ba Huyen Thanh Quan-Mot Cot Pagoda route; the Phan Dinh Phung-Hoang Dieu-Quan Thanh route; Thanh Nien Road; the Van Xuan Garden and surrounds during parade rehearsals on October 6-7 and October 9-10.

Nguyen Thai Hoc-Cua Nam-Trang Thi-Hang Khay-Trang Tien Streets will be closed to traffic for the parade.

Both vehicles and pedestrians will be banned from Ba Dinh Square on Sunday morning, October 10.

Public screens will be installed at public places.

All roads to My Dinh National Stadium, including Cau Dien-Ho Tung Mau-Pham Hung-Tran Duy Hung-Khuat Duy Tien-Lang Hoa Lac streets will be closed during the final ceremony of Sunday evening, October 10.

All coaches of 24 seats or more will be banned from the ring road to downtown Hanoi and will have to park at Long Bien, Hai Ba Trung, Tu Liem, Hoang Mai, Ba Dinh and Cau Giay districts between October 7-10.

Buses will be used to ferry people from these points to the central city and return free of charge.

Hanoi Police deputy director Bach Thanh Dinh said security and safety were the priorities for guests and participants at the celebration and his officers would oversee five key areas during the parade.

People who lived or worked in restricted areas should carry their identification cards or employee cards to enter and leave restricted areas, he warned.

Transport Department director Nguyen Quoc Hung said the dense population would make traffic congestion inevitable.

People should follow the guidance of police and be aware of the need for traffic sense during the ceremonies, he advised.

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Historians recognise contributions of Mac dynasty

Historians have called for softer stance on the Mac dynasty, which gained power through a coup d’etat in 1527 and ruled northern Vietnam until 1592.

The question was raised at a symposium in Hanoi on September 21 where nearly 50 historians recognised the Mac dynasty -- considered illegal by historians until the 1970s -- for its contributions to cultural, ideological and economic development.

The Director of the Centre for Conservation of the Co Loa-Hanoi Ancient Citadel, Dr Nguyen Van Son, said the Mac Dynasty had left numerous documented relics and objects that had proved its role in the long history of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The Mac Dynasty ruled northern Vietnam from 1527-92, when they lost control over Thang Long, now Hanoi. They were forced to move to Cao Bang and ruled the northern mountainous province until 1677.

The founder of the Mac Dynasty was Mac Dang Dung, who was related to a famous Tran Dynasty Confucian scholar named Mac Dinh Chi.

Unlike his ancestor, Mac Dang Dung chose to enter the military and ascended the ranks to become a senior general.

He seized power in a coup d’etat in 1527 and ruled Vietnam until his death in 1541.

In 1535 Mac Dang Dung managed to send Chinese Ming troops away from Vietnam by means of diplomacy./.

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Children with disabilities enjoy rare night out

If anyone thinks that a barrier exists between children with disabilities and those who have none, they are mistaken.

In fact, most children see those with disabilities as potential friends with whom they can have fun.

On September 19, a gathering of around 100 kids testified to this feeling.

The evening gathering was held as part of Tet Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival), which is a children's festival and falls on the full-moon day of the eighth lunar month.

The gathering took place in the yard of a mansion in District 10 where the Disability Resource and Development is based. The DRD (also stands for Doi Rat Dep) in Vietnamese, meaning Life is Beautiful is a local non-governmental organisation providing support to disadvantaged people.

Visually and hearing-impaired, mentally impaired and autistic children mingled with others from nearby neighbourhoods. They ranged in age from five to 13.

The enclosed yard was fully packed with children. Their boisterous laughter enlivened the space, while their hands were gesticulating wildly.

The kids also spilled onto the passage in the front, which was roofed to provide more space for kids during a lantern-making competition.

They were divided into 20 groups of five and provided with bamboo frames, cellophane of various colours, rayon, scissors and glue to build their own lanterns.

Twenty colourful lanterns of different shapes, most of them lovely animals like rabbit, peacock, swan, bird along with stars and flowers, were hung up in the air after they were completed.

"I wish that all of my friends were as gorgeous as swans in the Mid-Autumn Eve," explained one member of a group, describing the significance of their works to the jury.

All of the kids in the groups held conferences to discuss the significance of their lanterns, according to Nguyen Thi Loi, a fourth-year student specialising in social work at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

"We just gave them some hints, like what a flower or heart means," she said.

Loi and dozens of other volunteer students were assigned to supervise and support groups of kids.

A flower lantern represented the children's dream to have a beautiful flower to celebrate the festival, while a house-shaped lantern conveyed wishes to live in happiness.

"Every wing of this five-wing star represents each of us, as they have our fingerprints on them," explained one child about his group's work. "It means that when we join hands together, we can make a brilliant star."

Tran Thi Ngoc Anh, who is 10 years old and lives nearby, observed that the children with disabilities had "fun to the max".

"I approached a cute-looking girl and asked her name," she added. "But she just turned back and gesticulated with her hands."

"Even though she knows that I do not understand her language, she did try to reply," she said.

Nguyen Ngoc Ha, 15, who listens and speaks with difficulty and lives at Binh Thanh District's Hy Vong (Hope) School for hearing-impaired kids, said she tried to win the highest prize with her group's lantern, which was in the shape of a fish in the paddy field.

"We love to sing and dance," said Ha, who performed dances and songs to celebrate the moon and legendary figures who live on it.

The party, performances of lovely songs and dances, a fashion show and parade with lighted lanterns were activities that spiced up a fabulous evening for the kids.

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh, a teacher of Hy Vong School who accompanied some kids, said hearing-impaired children were hungry to mix and have fun with other children.

"They rarely set foot out of school, so they never want to miss a chance like this."/.

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Vietnam to grow genetically-modified corn

Vietnam intends to plant genetically-modified corn in 2011 after successfully completing an experimental project.

A recent seminar in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau discussed initial outcomes of the project, which was carried out in both the northern and southern regions.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Bui Ba Bong, said the project showed that genetically-modified corn can adapt to the weather and land in these areas.

It also showed that this corn is resistant to pests, diseases and could help Vietnam reduce it imports of maize for making animal fodder.

Vietnam produces between 1.1-1.2 million tons of maize a year while it needs 1.5 million tons.

The genetically-modified corn will be planted on a large scale from 2011, if it passes a final test, said Bong.

According to Le Huy Ham, Director of the Agricultural Genetics Institute, various species of genetically-modified plants have been grown worldwide for 16 years, with a current acreage approaching 126 million ha.

Vietnam also plans to grow genetically-modified cotton and soya beans by 2013-2014.

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Hospitals brace for flu season

Children receive medical care at the National Paediatricts Hospital. Chidren are at greater risk of picking up viruses when the weather changes in autumm, doctors warn. — VNS Photo Viet Thanh

HA NOI — Paediatricians are warning that children are at greater risk of picking up viruses when the weather changes in autumn.

About 2,000 children daily have been undergoing check-ups or receiving treatment daily at the Ha Noi-based National Paediatrics Hospital over the last few weeks – about 20 per cent higher than normal, according to doctor Nguyen Van Loc.

Most of the children admitted to the hospital have been suffering respiratory problems, allergies, fevers or diseases such as mumps or chicken pox, Loc said.

He said parents should send their children to hospital on the first sign of illness. He said worrying symptoms included a high temperature and a runny nose.

"A lot of parents treat their children on their own. They use either out-of-date medicines or borrow prescriptions from friends or neighbours," he said.

"When their children fail to recover they simply increase the dose, which can be dangerous," Loc said.

Recently, Nguyen Minh Hue, who lives in Dong Da District, brought her five-year-old daughter to hospital after giving her child an old drug.

"I used the prescription the doctor gave my daughter five months ago when she developed a cough. She had the same symptoms this time around as well," Hue said.

When her daughter failed to get better, she said she increased the dose. Since last being ill, she has gained a kilo, so I thought she would need more medicine, she said.

Hue gave her daughter 4ml of an antibiotic twice a day, instead of 2ml as recommended.

After two days of taking the medicine, Hue's daughter developed an allergy and suffered from serious diarrhoea.

"Luckily, the doctor knew what to do," she said.

Loc warned that children are particularly prone to respiratory diseases when temperatures are high during the day and cool at night. "Children usually recover from a simple viral infection in three to five days if they get treatment," he said.

Nguyen Van Lam, deputy director of the National Paediatrics Hospital's Infection Ward, said children should be vaccinated regularly against viral infections.

"Teachers should isolate sick children or let them stay away from school until they are better to prevent them infecting other children," he said.

Teachers should also encourage children to wash their hands frequently with soap and ensure toys and teaching aids are clean. — VNS

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Employment agencies fall short of goals

Jobseekers at an employment fair in HCM City's Tan Binh District last week. — VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Vy

HCM CITY — Employment exchanges established nationwide have failed to effectively perform their basic function of connecting job seekers with employers, a senior official says.

Nguyen Thi Hai Van, deputy head of the Labour and Employment Agency under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), said at a conference held in Ha Noi last week that the exchanges met just 10-15 per cent of existing employment demand in the country.

"This has led to the situation that Industrial Zones and Export Processing Zones are suffering constant shortage of workers while unemployment in large cities, which account for more than five per cent of the labour force, is still high," Van said.

Job transaction floors were established as an upgrade of jobs fairs in 2006, with each one receiving average funding of VND5-7 billion (US$260,000-364,000) from the State budget, according to statistics released by the Labour Ministry.

The exchanges are present in almost all provinces and cities across the country, with 44 of them holding one to three sessions per month. Each session receives funding of VND200 million (US$10,400).

However, thus far, just 14 per cent of job seekers and 16.4 per cent of employers have joined the exchange, the ministry estimates.

Huynh Ngoc Long, director of the Employment Service Centre in Dong Nai Province, said most enterprises in the province operating in the wood processing, garment and textiles, electronics and footwear industries had a large demand for unskilled labour.

Twenty one industrial parks operating in the province needed to recruit 50,000 labourers a year, but they could only hire 4,500-5,000 through the employment exchanges, he said.

Enterprises participating in a job fair held in the province on September 5 offered 5,000 vacancies, but managed to recruit only a few hundred workers, Long said.

Only 1,000 job seekers attended the 19th employment fair held in April in Binh Duong Province, where more than 300 enterprises registered to recruit more than 20,500 workers, provincial reports said.

The Employment Service Centre in Ha Noi held 56 job fairs between 2007 and mid 2010, attracting the participation of more than 4,800 enterprises and nearly 150,800 visitors, said Vu Trung Chinh, the centre's director.

However, these events only met 20 per cent of enterprises' labour demand, with each one receiving an average of 1,874 applications, he added.

Low salaries and tough working conditions without other benefits were main reasons for workers not opting to accept employment with the factories in big cities and industrial zones, experts have said.

Weaknesses in the analysis of labour market data, poor forecasting skills and a lack of qualified staff were severely limiting the effectiveness of employment exchanges, Van said. — VNS

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