Ships dump mud into heritage site

QUANG NINH (VNS)— It’s just a fortnight since Ha Long Bay was applauded by the international conservation body for its management and conservation methods, but two ships have already been caught illegally discharging mud into the World Heritage Site. The incident has raised concerns about the problems facing the World Heritage Site in Quang Ninh Province, which is in danger of being removed from the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. About 300cu.m of mud was reported to have been transported from Cai Lan Port and then dumped into the sea last Thursday. The Ha Long Bay Management Department has sent a document asking port authorities to control dredging to prevent ships from releasing waste into the bay. “This action not only seriously contaminated the site, but implicitly endangers vessels on the bay because the water is shallow,” said deputy head of the department, Do Duc Thang. “It’s easy to discharge mud into the sea. Vessels pretend to operate normally on the surface, but in fact, they are ejecting waste matter underneath,” Thang said. In 2012, a ship was also caught dumping mud, but the owners only received an administrative punishment. Although further investigations into the impacts on the environment are needed, this act indicates that much more needs to be done. “The biggest problem for Ha Long Bay is the conflict of interests between protecting and preserving the heritage with industrial and tourism development,” Quang Ninh Party Committee’s General Secretary Pham Minh Chinh told Sai Gon Giai Phong… [Read full story]