Tougher punishments for environmental violations
VGP – The Government recently issued Decree No. 117/2009/NĐ-CP on heavier punishments for environmental violations in an effort to raise people and enterprises’ awareness of environment protection.
The
document will come into effect on March 1, 2010.
The
Vietnamese Government is determined to impose tough punishments for
environment-violated crimes – Illustration photo
Under
the decree, individuals and organizations violating the environmental
regulations will be imposed two major forms of punishment: warnings and pecuniary
penalties (from VND 100,000 to VND 500 million). The top penalty is 7 times
higher than the current rate of NVD 70 million.
Violators
will have to bear additional punishments including revocation of business licenses,
confiscation of exhibits, coerced destruction of pollutant agents.
According
to a statistical report of the Environmental Police Department under the
Ministry of Public Security, in 2009, the domestic authorities disclosed and
punished around 4,500 cases of environmental violations, up four times against
2008.
By Kim Anh
