HCMC not extend removal deadline to polluting firms Mr. Tat Thanh Cang, deputy chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, said it is impossible to extend the removal deadline on December 31 to polluting businesses in the city, at a meeting on Wednesday.   Dong Tien is one of 23 companies that must remove from Dong Hung Thuan ward, District 12, HCMC for causing environmental pollution for a long time. He instructed a recently-established steering board on polluting business evacuation and other relevant agencies to completely handle the issue. By December 31, polluters must relocate in industrial parks (IPs), change into environmentally friendly fields, or shut down. The city has seven businesses listed in the Prime Minister’s decision to remove for 12 years. However they have taken action very slowly, reported Mr. Cao Tung Son, deputy head of Environment Protection Division under the City's Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Of them, Viet Huong Fish Sauce Company has been unable to find out a destination to move in. Its proposal of relocation in Trang Bang IP has been refused for failing to meet the park’s wastewater treatment requirements. Therefore, the company plans to move in Tan Tao IP now. Gia Dinh-Phong Phu and Saigon garment and textile companies are expected to resettle in Le Minh Xuan IP 3 by this yearend. Two shipbuilding yards will change into other business fields. Ha Tien Cement Company has proposed to displace its plant from Thu Duc district to Phu Huu ward, District 9. Mr. Cang however did not pass the proposal at the meeting saying that both Thu Duc and District 9 have been planned for residential areas, seaport and logistic services. He was dissatisfied with the company for pleading undetermined relocation place to delay removal for the last several years. It must send the city People’s Committee a relocation project together with assistances they want from the city by July 25 at the latest, he instructed. Mr. Cang has asked the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to work with relevant agencies to assist the company to remove as planned. By December 31, the cement plant must close down in Thu Duc or coercive measures will be applied. Besides, the city has 24 new polluting firms including 23 in Dong Hung Thuan ward, District 12 and one biochemical fertilizer producer in Cu Chi district. Sixteen out of 23 companies have accepted to evacuate into Le Minh Xuan 3 IP, Binh Chanh district by the end of the year. The city authorities will assist them with 50 percent of bank interest rate in seven years. Five will find relocation places themselves and the remaining ones will have to stop operation. The biochemical fertilizer company in Cu Chi has proposed to extend the removal deadline by three years, however, Mr. Cang disagreed due to the company had been built outside planning and caused serious pollution for many years. He instructed the Department to set up an inspectorate over coercive withdrawal of the land area that the company has illegally built its plant for other right purposes. Companies who have been permitted to extend the deadline until December 30 will be forced to shut down if they fail to leave on schedule. Authorized agencies are responsible for assisting those with done evacuation projects to resettle industrial parks and clusters, Mr. Cang concluded. SGGP