Nov. 23 – Ho Chi Minh City authorities have cut electricity to 51 businesses last week as punishment for their environmental violations reports Thanh Nien News.
The city gave an ultimatum that blacklisted business will not be reconnected again unless they clean up and stop damaging the environment. The 51 firms were found to be in gross violation of environmental protection practices when inspectors from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment examined 345 firms in the city.
Some of the firms found to be in violation was garment and textile producer Viet Thang Jeans Commerce and Production Ltd., and import-export firm Tran Le Ltd. Fines and publicity in the past have so far failed to dissuade companies from continuing pollution.
According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, companies would rather just pay fines than overhaul production techniques to make it more environmentally sound because it would end up being more expensive.
