Bomb and mine clearance plan approved

Various post-war bombs found in Viet Nam – Illustration photo

The plan, composed of ten projects, aims to mobilize and fruitfully tap both domestic and foreign resources to sustainably minimize impacts of bombs and mines left over from the war and ensure safety for people in mine-contaminated areas.  

It targets to set up and implement projects that assist bomb and mine victims to reintegrate into the community, particularly in heavily-affected areas with high rates of accidents. 

In addition, the projects which disseminate the consequences of bomb and mine aftermaths will be mapped out and ratified in a bid to raising the public awareness of raising funds to support the implementation of the plan.

Under the VND 14 trillion plan, an area of 500,000 hectares will be cleared of bombs and mines.

Official figures show that bombs and mines left over from the war killed more than 42,000 people and crippled 62,000 others in the post war period of 1975-2000. The casualties could be compared to that of a contemporary middle-scale war./.

By Kim Loan