Hanoi (VNA) – The Prime Minister has signed decisions toapply disciplinary measures on four former leaders of the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment (MoNRE) and the central province of Ha Tinh, whoseviolations are linked to the serious environmental incident caused by FormosaHa Tinh in the four central localities.
In Decision 1199/QD-TTg, Nguyen Minh Quang, former MoNRE Minister in the2011-2016 period, received warnings.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Thai Lai and Bui Cach Tuyen are no longer former MoNREDeputy Ministers for the 2011-2015 tenure under Decision 1201/QD-TTg and Decision1202/QD-TTg.
Under Decision 1200/QD-TTg, the PM decided to strip Vo Kim Cu off the positionof former Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ha Tinh province in the2005-2010 tenure and former Chairman of the Ha Tinh People’s Committee in the2010-2015 tenure.
The mass fish deathswere first reported on April 6, 2016 when a large number of fish washed ashorein Ha Tinh province. The incident also occurred in Quang Binh, Quang Tri andThua Thien-Hue.
About 70 tonnes ofdead fish were found in the four provinces and Thua Thien-Hue alone reported 35tonnes of farm-raised fish had died.
The pollution alsoaffected more than 260,000 people who earned their living from the sea.
Wastewaterdischarged from Formosa polluted more than 200 kilometres of coastline,devastating the marine environment and local economies of those provinces,which largely rely on fishing and tourism.
In June last year, Formosa accepted responsibility for the incident andpledged 500 million USD in compensation for affected fishermen, households andorganisations.-VNA