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(Biz Hub) --The Government has requested ministries, ministerial-level and Government-related agencies and People's committees of provinces and centrally run cities to ensure several new environmental protection measures.

According to Government Resolution 35/NQ-CP of March 18 on a number of urgent environmental issues, the seven measures include enhancing environmental protection at industrial parks and clusters and improving the quality of assessment of environmental protection requirements in strategies, plans and development projects; attaching importance to environmental protection in mineral exploitation activities; improving the environment for rural areas and craft villages; gradually addressing environmental pollution in big cities and river basins; strictly controlling scrap imports; effectively preventing the degradation of eco-systems; and raising the effectiveness and efficiency of the State management of environmental protection.

The Resolution demands responsible agencies to increase the inspection of the enforcement of environmental protection law at industrial parks and clusters. They must also resolutely suspend or ban the operation of enterprises that have made serious violations of environmental protection law; and make information on violations public.

The Government also requested increased control of the use of agricultural chemicals and more effective collection and treatment of residual livestock feed, fertilisers and pesticide packages, introduction of specific measures to tackle environmental pollution caused by solid waste discharged from rural areas and concentrated breeding activities.

Responsible agencies must also control pollution from transport vehicles and encourage mass transit and environmentally-friendly vehicles. — VNS