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Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai speaks at the meeting |
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment today held a ceremony to celebrate its 20th establishment anniversary with the participation of Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh and Chairman Phan Van Mai.
At the ceremony, Director of the city Department of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Toan Thang said that the municipal People's Committee on July 18, 2003 issued Decision No. 121/2003/QD-UB to establish the Department of Natural Resources and Environment by unifying the Department of Land and other organizations performing the state management of water resources, mineral resources and the environment under the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Departments of Industry and Trade, and the Departments of Science and Technology, Environment and the Department of Transport.
From 2003 up to now, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has recovered, allocated, leased, and changed land use purposes of 2,670 projects, with a total area of 17,856.7 hectares, including 835 housing projects with an area of 6.526.8ha; 944 production and business projects with an area of 6,706.4 ha; 859 public welfare projects in an area of 4,559.3ha.
This achievement has contributed to the city's socio-economic development by generating revenue for the state budget. Moreover, many public works projects have been contributing to improving people's quality of life.
Mr. Nguyen Toan Thang also frankly admitted that the city's natural resources and environment sector still has limitations; so people and businesses have still made complaints.
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh praised achievements made by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment over the past 20 years. He also suggested several tasks that the sector should carry out in the coming time. For instance, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment suggested that Ho Chi Minh City soon complete the HCMC Master Plan to 2030 with a vision to 2050 and a 5-year land use plan for the 2021-2025 period with a focus on perfecting master plans and plans on land use to ensure sustainability and the city’s development.
Besides, Ho Chi Minh City needs to soon complete the database of land and natural resources to provide regular online public services, improve the efficiency of land management, and save time and costs while enhancing transparency and publicity.
In addition, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment also suggested the southern largest city pay attention to climate change, and water resource management while restoring lakes, ponds and canals in big cities.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Phan Van Mai also praised the efforts of generations of leaders, civil servants, officials and employees of the natural resources and environment sector over the periods. The chairman of the City People's Committee noticed that the southern metropolis is entering a new stage of development with many opportunities and advantages, but it also faces many difficulties and challenges. Land and environmental management-related matters should be solved soon so as not to affect the investment environment and production as well as people's lives.
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Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Toan Thang is honored with a certificate of merit from the Prime Minister |
Therefore, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment should advise the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to strictly manage and efficiently use natural resources, especially land resources. The Natural Resources and Environment sector should give advice to the city People's Committee to effectively implement the pilot contents of specific mechanisms and policies for the city’s growth as per the Resolution No. 98/2003/QH15 which has just been approved by the National Assembly; particularly, the sector should have a good recommendation on compensation and resettlement support according to the Resolution to accelerate the disbursement of public investment capital.
Chairman Phan Van Mai also asked the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to submit a plan of treatment of solid waste generated from daily activities, and emissions in the city including solutions to speed up the implementation of projects on technology conversion using clean energy to ensure the city’s waste security.
On this occasion, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment received the traditional flag of the People's Committee for its excellent achievements over the years.
Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Toan Thang was honored with a certificate of merit from the Prime Minister.
