FAILURE IN MINING AND PROCESSING OF BAUXITE ORE -WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE?

          

                

          Bauxite mining project, a controversial project and                         opposition from scientists in and outside the country.

               THE TRUTH - JUSTICE - LOVE

          

Dominhtuyen

 "For political reasons that They were willing to ignore the hazard warning" as a result of course bear the statement of Prof. Le Huy Ba Institute of Management Science and Technology Environmental Management, City University of Technology. Ho Chi Minh about the leak from the factory Tan Rai shot causing serious impacts on the environment and adversely affect the lives of people living around the plant.

Project mining and processing bauxite ores in the Central Highlands which is the subject of much controversy between the authorities of ministries and departments directly under the central government, and in local throughout time. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who has ignored all the warnings from scientists and foreign words as well as comments from former senior officials of government, including his objections General Vo Nguyen Giap on the effects and damage caused from the above projects adverse impacts on the environment and the interests of the state. Particularly seriously affected the lives of people around the project.

Who will be responsible for the consequences if this project fails? The Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung once again can not continue to deny liability as in the bankruptcy of the corporation capital Vinasin damage and loss of billions of dollars of the country in recent years. Congress, the supreme power of government should clarify the matter and the attribution of responsibility in who will be responsible for the consequences arising from the lack of viable projects for whether he is the head of the department or is held high responsibility and power in government. Public opinion throughout the country and people expect the country's leaders should have self-esteem and appropriate action is required and necessary when faced with serious implications because of the actions or the wrong decision themselves.

The news

Vietnamese> Magazines> Environmental Science

Gia Minh, editor RFA

09 Oct, 2011.

The level of leakage of toxic chemicals in Tan Rai bauxite plant?

In recent years, public opinion in Vietnam to stir the chemical condition leaks from Tan Rai bauxite plant, Lam Dong harmful to plants, animals and the environment, although the plant was not put into production made official.

The level of harmful chemicals used in production technology in bauxite ore plant Tan Rai How? The ability to overcome the pollution that like?

Communications in the country in late September last quoted statement of the inspection team Department of Natural Resources - Environment of Lam Dong shows the pH of the water released to the environment nearly 11. This level exceeded norm Vietnam from 6 to 9 degrees. Besides water temperature higher than 20% of the permitted standards.

Cause

Inspection results give cause chemical leaks lead to just say so in the process of completion and gathering of materials, mixing caustic chemicals to prepare projects in operation, some packaging chemical containers to be outdoors.

Meet rainfall amounts of chemicals remaining packaging where it has absorbed into the ground and the water poured into the drainage system of the plant.

Prof. Le Huy Ba, Director of Institute of Science, Technology and Environmental Management, University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City presents some relevant information caustic substances are used for wet processing technology that plants Tan Rai alumina application:

"Caustic abrasive human and animal skin. Most organisms can not survive in such conditions of high caustic. When caustic soda into the water and into the body will destroy all; like going into intestinal cells will break the small intestine, inflammation of nasal breathing to do ... generally caustic soda is a highly toxic substance, classified as direct effect on life. "

Places consequences of this situation caustic chemicals leaking from Tan Rai alumina plant in time was told the same Highland Tea Company in the six towns Loc Thang, Bao Lam district, Lam Dong province and the residents living nearby the factory area.

Mr. Bui Cong Lien, deputy director of Tea Co. Highland said the same in late July from the past, water from Tan Rai plant smells dark, oily bubbles and poured into the reservoir of company. This unusual source of water that killed fish in the lake, and lake water for irrigation can not use tea and coffee company as before.

Black water, dead fish, tea, coffee death

Waste water from factories in Lam Dong bauxite aluminum hasflowed out to the massive death of fish, many other crops are also affected. Photo: Lam Dong newspaper. Www.tinmoitruong.vnsources.

Investors Alumina Plant Project, Tan Rai Group Coal - Minerals of Vietnam, known as TKV, spoke last state admitted leaking caustic chemicals into the environment as the conclusions of the Department of Inspection Resources - Environment of Lam Dong province. TKV has instructed the management of the bauxite alumina project in Lam Dong in collaboration with Chinese contractors Chalienco overcome it.

In September 21, Tran Le, deputy director of the Project Management Unit Aluminum Combination of Lam Dong, after admitting the state of excess caustic soda from Tan Rai works leaking into the environment, confirming that the work has been overcome.

Until last October 6, an officer of the Department of Natural Resources - Environment of Lam Dong province, said the agency continues to test the pollution around the Tan Rai alumina plants periodically and on October 7 representatives of the Department of Natural Resources - Environment of Lam Dong is meeting with the provincial People's Committee issues:

"Today a new group to check. This is the regular inspection, continuous. Tomorrow will formally report to the provincial People's Committee.

Recently completed events, also direct fix, and now the situation is normal nothing too severe. "

On the morning of October 7, we tried to contact Mr. Luong Van Ngu, Deputy Director of Natural Resources - Environment in charge of inspection and report to the provincial People's Committees, but all attempts failed .

Meanwhile, a number of people living around the alumina plant Tan Rai said the situation has not changed. A local woman in Loc Thang said:

"The lake is very severe. Fish mortality as the end and now the black water. How many dead fish floating up sorrowfully. Resolution, have not seen anything. "

The other people in Loc Thang said:

"Under the lake flooded, killing over coffee. Both of these months now that the lubricating grease, which bubbles like soap bubbles, whole dead fish pond, floating bulging, rotten ... water lakes for irrigation companies and regular people.

Family but not much damage to the project applicant twice, but it is not to evaluate, inspect anything. "

Regarding measures to handle caustic chemicals in the environment, Prof. Le Huy Ba said:

"Caustic has absorbed outside, now have a place for collectors to handle. How to handle a 'neutral', or dried, agglomerated, she repeated in a buried concrete where there is 'possible'; but whatever the cost.

Caustic soda into the soil was contaminated very difficult to remove. The water is the appropriate method to push out and recycling of caustic soda. The freeze-dried and mixed into other materials has not been much. Caustic soda used in the refining of bauxite, the country did not have any way to waste it all.

Caustic is used in many ways in the industry. Other industries using small amounts of caustic soda and dispersed rather than concentrated in sectors such as bauxite, much of the waste collection should not be incidents are not unusual .... "

Contaminated water from the Tan Rai bauxite project flows into the environment with white foam - Photo: Le Dung. Www.tinmoitruong.vnsources.

Bauxite mining project in two places as the New Rai province of Lam Dong and the Human Body, Western Highlands province of Dak Nong have strong reactions from scientists, about environmental protection as well as in some cultures Vietnam.

Many reasons are as yet destroys the environment since the amount of sludge discharged from the ore storage in reservoirs on high is like the bomb hanging over top of people living below the plateau . Then how the effects of culture and society when the project is being developed by Chinese contractors ...

However, the project has been made, and new in the preparation stage, the leaking toxic chemicals such as caustic soda has happened the past made public continues to be concerned.

Lesson sludge disaster in Hungary a year is not enough to awaken the social managers in Vietnam. Professor Chinh Le Huy Ba said that because of political reasons that ' They' are willing to ignore all hazard warning.

Science Category - Environmental pause at this period. See your listeners and your program to also at this hour period on a wave of radio station Free Asia.

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