Environmental pollution in craft villages is on the rise and becomes more serious

VOVworld) – Ensuring safe water and environmental protection is one of 19 criteria determining whether or not craft villages can become new rural communes. After 3 years, the model has recorded many positive changes. VOV’s To Tuan reports…

In 2010, the Prime Minister approved a National Target Program on new rural development until 2020 with a focus on supplying enough safe water for schools, medical clinics, offices, and public places. To reach this goal, many works have been master-planned to protect the rural environment, upgrade irrigation systems, build stations for garbage collection and treatment in communes, and construct ponds and lakes in residential areas. In addition, one of the most important solutions is to attract diverse investment sources to new rural development. The model in which the state puts up 60% of expenditures and the remainder is contributed by businesses and local people has created changes in the construction of rural infrastructure. Nguyen Quang Hung is Director of the Song Chau Company which has been successfully mobilizing capital to build irrigation works in Ha Nam province. Hung says ‘We try to harmonize the whole process of water filtering and supply with costs to ensure people’s interests. It means local people can access water at the lowest price at which suppliers are still assured enough profit to maintain a production line and pay salaries to their workers.’

The construction of waste water treatment stations to deal with environmental pollution in 2,000 craft villages nationwide is another key in new rural development. The most effective way to deal with the contamination is to move craft villages out of residential areas which in accordance with the criteria on new rural development should be linked with industrial and handicraft parks to create specialized production zones. Apart from short-term solutions, the Prime Minister has adopted a national target program to reduce environmental pollution until 2015 with a total funding of more than 28 million USD to carry out projects to treat waste water in 47 craft villages. Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, says ‘In fact, this is a movement in which villagers will play a key role. They will discuss and make final decisions on which activities are essential to urgent for their daily life.’

The steering committee on new rural development reports that in the near future communications to publicize Government policies on environmental protection in rural areas will be expanded to increase the community’s awareness.

To Tuan