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.

January 08, 2010 2:10 PM GMT+7

The Vietnamese Government is determined to impose tough punishments for environment-violated crimes – Illustration photo

The document will come into effect on March 1, 2010.

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