Encouragement: President Tran Duc Luong urges young women in Thai Nguyen Province to join the fight against environmental pollution. — VNA/VNS Photo Trong Nghiep

Pollution fight a national priority

HA NOI — Environmental pollution is a barrier to national development and people from all walks of life need to fight it together, says President Tran Duc Luong.

Launching a "Saturdays for Voluntary Protection of the Environment and Water Resources" in the northern province of Thai Nguyen last Saturday, he called on the youth to wholeheartedly join the fight, especially in urban areas, industrial zones and increasingly-polluted rural areas.

Pollution poses a health hazard to people, especially the younger generations, he said.

The new campaign involves the youth from six provinces in the Cau River Basin: Thai Nguyen, Bac Can, Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Hai Duong.

Luong, who is also a member of the Party Politburo, said it was necessary to make society as a whole fully aware that protecting the environment and water resources is a major task which cannot be accomplished in a day, but should be made an integral part of the cultural life of every citizen, especially the youth.

"Every commune, every street, every office, every factory and every family should emulate each other and pledge to build up a green, clean and beautiful environment," he said.

He said that environmental protection should go hand in hand with socio-economic development so that the process is sustainable.

The president noted that the Ninth Party Congress has identified the creation of an environment of clean air, water and soil as a priority task to be implemented in the 2001-2005 period.

He urged authorities, sectors and mass organisations to draw up specific plans to protect the environment of each locality and sector; guide and create favourable conditions for the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and young people to join these efforts; and bring into full play the role of the youth in protecting water resources and maintaining environmental hygiene.

Luong also called for a system of incentives, punishments and rewards that will encourage greater achievements in environmental protection and discourage violations of the environment protection law.

The president joined representatives from the youth union, relevant ministries and agencies in kicking off a tree-planting project in the province.

The same day, he met with workers engaged in building the Nam Son waste treatment plant in Ha Noi’s Soc Son District.

He lauded their efforts to protect the environment and asked relevant ministries, local agencies, managers and workers to closely co-operate with each other in effectively implementing the project and contributing to keeping the city green and clean. — VNS

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