More than 10,000 people in the southern central province of Khanh Hoa are living in areas which experienced Agent Orange/dioxin spraying during the American War.
According to the provincial people’s committee, many localities in Khanh Hoa were war bases such as Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh districts, Ninh Hoa Town and Dong Bo area in Nha Trang City which are now still polluted by dioxin.
The committee has developed a programme to deal with the consequences of Agent Orange and dioxin during the 2016-20120 period.
Many localities in Khanh Hoa Province contaminated by dioxin
Under the programme, all areas suspected to have high risk of being contaminated by dioxin will be zoned to be treated. Local people who face disabilities or diseases caused by the toxic chemical but are not given monthly subsidies in line with the government’s ordinance on people with contributions to the revolution will receive the financial assistance per month in accordance with the Law on the Disabled.
By late June this year, more than 1,800 affected by Agent Orange/dioxin while participating in the anti-American resistance war receive the monthly subsidies.
Apart from Khanh Hoa Province, many other localities in Vietnam have been found to be seriously polluted with the Agent Orange/dioxin, including Bien Hoa Airport in Dong Nai Province, Phu Cat Airport in Binh Dinh Province.
Since 2006, the Ministry of Defence has worked on plans to treat Agent Orange/Dioxin pollution across the nation. Vietnam is planning to complete the treatment and processing of the dioxin-contaminated soil at Bien Hoa Airport in Dong Nai Province by 2020.
