Dozens of people in Hai Duong City Province’s Chi Linh Town dumped soil and gravel in front of a local company in protest of their environmental violations.
Soil and gravel dumped in front of Thien Loc Ltd. Co.
Pham Duc Binh, an official from Thien Loc Ltd. Co., which specialises in producing fibrous cement sheets, said on October 14 that around 40 people in Pha Lai Ward, Chi Linh Town, went to the company to set up tents. They also piled more than 10 cubic metres of soil land stone in front of the company's gate, causing operational difficulties.
According to local residents dust from the company has seriously affects surrounding households. In recent years, up to 34 people living around the firm died of various cancers. People asked local authorities to stop the company or instruct them to make other products to avoid health risks. However, the company recently resumed operations.
Vu Anh Hoa, whose wife died of cancer and now has to take care of the three children, said, “We do not have the right to stop the company’s operations, but their process must be environmentally-friendly. The company discharges their untreated waste into the environment. You can smell it and it is affecting our lives. We want to sell our houses to go live in another place, but we can’t because no one wants to buy a house around here."
Phuong Van Mon, Vice Chairman of Pha Lai Ward said local authorities had requested the company to halt operations for assessment of the environmental impacts, but the firm asked the local People’s Committee’s approval to go on with its pilot production line from October 14 to October 25.
Local authorities have made proposals to higher levels of government to deal with people’s actions and advised them to take action.
The company, previously managed by Dong Anh Investment Construction and Building Materials JSC, but later by Thien Loc Ltd. Co.