Steering Committee on UXO, toxic chemical consequences established
The Prime Minister has decided to establish a National Steering Committee on the Settlement of Post-war Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and Toxic Chemical Consequences.
Hanoi (VNA) – The Prime Minister has decided to establish a National SteeringCommittee on the Settlement of Post-war Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and ToxicChemical Consequences.
Thecommittee is formed on the foundation of the State Steering Committee on theNational Action Programme on the Settlement of Toxic Chemical Consequences.
PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is the committee’s head, while deputy heads areDefence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich, Minister of Natural Resources and EnvironmentTran Hong Ha, Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung andMinister and Head of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung.
Itsmembers include the deputy ministers of Defence; Natural Resources andEnvironment; Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs; Science and Technology;Foreign Affairs; Health; Public Security; Planning and Investment; Finance;Information and Communications; and Justice; and a leader of the Vietnam Unionof Friendship Associations.
Thecommittee’s task is to study and submit to the PM measures to tackle importantand inter-sectoral issues related to the settlement of bomb and mine and toxicchemical consequences, as well as measures to attract domestic and foreign aidssupporting this work.
Thecommittee also helps build five-year and annual plans to implement the nationalaction programme, while coordinating the work between ministries,ministry-level offices, and local People’s Committees.
Thecommittee’s standing office is located at the Ministry of Defence.
Between1945 and 1975, more than 15 million tonnes of bombs and mines, four times theamount used in World War II, were dumped on Vietnam. As a result, about 800,000tonnes of unexploded ordnances (UXOs) are scattered across over 20 percent ofland nationwide, mainly in the central region. More than 100,000 people havebecome victims of UXOs.
Meanwhile,from 1961 to 1971, US troops sprayed more than 80 million litres of herbicides- 44 million litres of which were AO, containing nearly 370kg of dioxin - onsouthern Vietnam.
Asa result, about 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to the toxic chemical. Manyof the victims have died, while millions of their descendants are living withdeformities and diseases as a direct result of the AO/dioxin effects. -VNA
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Bomb and mine clearance (Source: VNA) 
