More cases of protests by residents in Vietnam’s northern provinces against environment polluters have recently occurred with a cement plant blocked and numerous trucks carrying iron ore intercepted.
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| Locals in Uong Bi hang a banner that reads "Firmly protest Lam Thach cement plant illegally dumping harmful waste into the environment" |
On September 16, locals in Phuong Nam Commune of Uong Bi Town in Quang Ninh Province gathered to block the entrance gate of the Lam Thach 2 cement plant to protest the firm dumping exhaust fumes into the air.
Residents said their health and living quality has been downgraded due to the severe environmental pollution by Lam Thach 2.
The company’s leaders argued that the incident happed after their firm had been affected by electricity blackout on August 29 and September 16 that resulted in the contamination.
Negotiations were held twice in the last two months under the aegis of local authorities but no agreement has ever been achieved. Residents keep in demanding the firm to pay cost for damages to their health and the environment.
Uong Bi People’s Committee authorities promised to assist locals in making assessment of damages for legal base to ask for compensation.
In Bao Thang District of Lao Cai Province, environment polluters have encountered violent opposition from local people after hundreds of super heavy trucks carrying iron ore to China have been blocked.
A small riot occurred between locals and truck drivers after around 200 people took to the street Sunday evening to intercept the vehicles for creating dust pollution and road damages, according to Son Hai Commune’s People’s Committee chairman Dinh Truong Minh.
A brief fight happened after a man stepped out from the group of drivers and shouted at residents, “Who allows you to stop those trucks”. He drew a gun and trained it high as pretending to shoot but no blast was heard. Then he stroke the gun stock on the head of a local man.
Immediately, other locals charged the man, who ran away and escaped on another car.
Furious residents overturned the white car used by the man and set fire. They went on breaking mirrors of two trucks before police arrived to stop them from further destroying.
Authorities of Son Hai Commune reported locals have been annoyed by noise, dust and severe road damages caused by heavy trucks that work every day from 16:00 till 2:00 at mid night.
The trucks were illegally carrying iron ore to export to China via the border gate Lao Cai by a local private company, according to local authorities.
In July this year, citizens in Lao Cai’s Bao Thang District had taken to streets and intercepted trucks carrying iron ore to China also for pollution and road damages.
Then, they placed tree trunks, blocks of stone and other barriers on the national highway 4E to block the vehicles.
It is estimated that over 100 super heavy trucks carrying iron ore have shuttled between Vietnam and China via Lao Cai border gate.
