Harmful emissions attack Nam Long Residential Zone
By Van Nam - The Saigon Times Daily
HCMC – Some 30 households in Nam Long Residential Zone in HCMC’s District 7 have submitted to the municipal government a joint petition against harmful exhaust fumes from Viguato Agrobiochemical Co., which adversely affect the health of local residents.
On receiving the petition, the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment on Monday launched an inspection trip to the company. However, the company had suspended operation when the inspectors arrived.
Still, the smell of plant protection drugs and the heating fuel oil odor from Viguato were very offensive, said Le Thi Kim Oanh, deputy chief inspector of the city’s environment department.
In the petition, Nam Long residents urged the authorities to stop the illegal act of Viguato Co. and save the living environment of the people there.
According to the government of District 7, Viguato Agrobiochemical Co. located on Nguyen Van Quy Street, Tan Thuan Dong Ward is a joint venture between Vietnam Pesticide Company (VIPESCO) and a Chinese microbial drug producer. The company specializes in producing plant protection drugs applying microbial technology with an annual output of 3,000 tons.
Since 2008, residents of Nam Long Residential Zone have constantly complained about harmful emissions and irritating noise coming from Viguato.
However, the authorities have yet to satisfactorily resolve such a complaint, thus people keep raising their voices against Viguato’s act of polluting the environment, said the authorities of District 7 to the city government on May 3.
Viguato was penalized twice in 2008 and 2010 for discharging wastewater into Ong Chon Canal, causing pollution, said the municipal environment department.
“In the coming time, the department inspectors will make irregular inspection trips to Viguato and strictly handle any violation detected. If the violation is severe, the company will be forced to shut down,” said Oanh.
Huynh Thi Anh Dao, a resident in Nam Long Residential Zone, told the Daily that the pesticide-like smell often emanates at around 9-10 pm every day. She said local residents have endured the air pollution for almost five years, but the authorities have yet to completely settle this situation.