Vietnam’s police investigate provincial agencies following Formosa incident

By Duc Hung   July 4, 2016 | 05:10 pm PT
Environment and tax officials in the central province of Ha Tinh are among those under investigation.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security and Ha Tinh Police have launched an investigation to look into the approval and monitoring for the Formosa’s wastewater discharge system by local government departments and agencies, Duong Tat Thang, Vice Chairman of Ha Tinh People’s Committee, said Monday.

The Taiwanese Formosa steel project is located in Vung Ang Economic Zone in Ky Anh Town, Ha Tinh.

“Ha Tinh’s consistent point of view is that those who have faults must take their responsibilities. We will not exclude any one,” Thang said.

The police met with Vo Ta Dinh, director of Ha Tinh’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment on Monday to investigate the department’s responsibility in monitoring Formosa’s discharge system, which has illegally released toxin into the central coast.

The police also got access to tax data of Formosa from Ha Tinh’s Taxation Department. Earlier, they had worked with the People’s Committee of Ha Tinh’s Ky Anh Town and the Management Board of Ha Tinh Economic Zone.

The Formosa project in Vung Ang Economic Zone in Ky Anh is under the management of the Management Board of Ha Tinh Economic Zone.

The Formosa complex in Ha Tinh Province. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Hung

The Formosa complex in Ha Tinh Province. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Hung

Ha Tinh has decided to establish a council to assess the damage caused to the province by Taiwanese steel company Formosa after the firm was officially named the culprit behind the mass fish deaths.

Formosa has apologized to Vietnam and pledged to pay $500 million in compensation for the environmental pollution it caused in central Vietnam.

In early April, large quantities of fish washed up dead near the Vung Ang Economic Zone in Ha Tinh Province. The disaster stretched 200 kilometers along the central Vietnamese coast, as far south as Thua Thien-Hue, resulting in the death of more than 70 tons of sea fish and 35 tons of farm-raised fish. Especially hard hit were Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Quang Binh and Thua Thien Hue provinces where thousands of fishermen lost customers or were forced to sell at a loss.

Related news:

> How Formosa’s toxin caused the mass fish deaths in Vietnam

> Deputy PM requests corruption probe into Formosa's licensing

> Thua Thien-Hue sets up council to evaluate pollution damage from Formosa

 
 
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