VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a long-term environmental protection plan for craft villages nation-wide.

Implemented from now until 2030, the plan will strengthen management of environmental protection activities, curb pollution and prevent the development of new polluting craft villages.

The plan aims to have environmental problems completely solved in the country's 47 most polluted craft villages by 2015.

By 2020, all craft villages engaging in activities that pollute the environment, including those that recycle wastepaper, metal and plastic scrap and those that operate slaughter-houses as their main activity will be relocated from residential areas to industrial parks and clusters.

The plan also targets that all craft villages will strictly follow environment protection regulations by 2030.

To meet the plan's targets, environmental protection policies for craft villages will be perfected, including those that support investment in infrastructure facilities and encourage the villages to develop tourism services.

Other environmental protection measures, including zoning craft villages and areas that produce needed raw materials will be implemented effectively.

Craft villages will have to pay environmental protection fees for the wastewater and solid waste that they generate, as also fumes that they release into the environment.

Under the plan, six model traditional craft villages that offers tourism services and implements environmental protection measures very well will be established on a pilot basis – two that make fine arts products, two that weave and dye cloth and raise silk worms, and two that produce ceramic products.

After this project is implemented successfully, the models will be developed nationwide.

Several activities to raise public awareness on environmental protection in craft villages will also be carried out under the plan.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and relevant ministries, sectors, provinces and cities have been tasked with implementing the plan.

Funds for the plan will be raised from state budgets, Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans, the craft villages themselves and other sources.

It is estimated that there are about 3,500 craft villages in the country, of which at least 1,000 need financial support to solve their environmental pollution problems.

Source: VNS