HCM City (VNA) - The Ministerof Natural Resources and Environment has asked authorities in Ho Chi Minh Cityand 10 provinces to develop a master plan on effective management of waterresources and environmental protection in the Dong Nai River basin.

Speaking at the 11th meeting of Dong NaiRiver’s Environmental Protection Committee held in HCM City on November 24, thedeputy minister of Natural Resource and Environment, Vo Tuan Nhan, said the DongNai River basin was one of the country’s largest basins.

“The master plan has to ensure harmonioussocio-economic development in each province and city as well as environmentalprotection,” he said.

The development of hydroelectric plants, industrialparks, urban areas, and other infrastructure should be noted to ensure that itmatches the load capacity of the river system.

“Environmental protection has to beconsidered an important activity which cannot be ignored. Pollution of the DongNai river can only be solved when all localities carry out their planswell," he said.

Local authorities should allocatesignificant capital to speed up the construction process of water andsolid-waste treatment systems in urban areas and industrial parks as well ascomplexes, Nhan said.

Since last year, the proportion of urbanareas in HCM City with water drainage and waste water treatment works rose from13.2 percent to 21 percent, helping to improve water quality and theenvironment in the basin. The proportion in Binh Duong province increased from20 percent to 60 percent.

More inspections of establishments shouldbe conducted, and those causing pollution should be fined, he said.

Dinh Quoc Thai, chairman of Dong Nai provincialPeople’s Committee, said the committee would continue to look for the bestsolutions for protection of water sources and problems in the management of thebasin.

The provinces and HCM City in the basinhave carried out many activities to maintain quality of the Dong Nai riversystem. They have invested in a system to monitor the water environment.

Next year, they will set up centres toreceive data from automatic waste water monitoring stations.

A project on environmental protection inthe Dong Nai River basin until 2020 has been approved, Nhan said, adding thatthe committee was set up to guide and co-ordinate the project.

Rapid urbanisation and economic growth inthe basin have caused water pollution, at times at alarming levels.

The 10 provinces in the area include DongNai, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Long An, Tay Ninh, Lam Dong, DakNong, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan.-VNA