The MoNRE needs to concentrate on safe water supplies for both urban and rural areas, the Government leader said while addressing the MoNRE’s year-end conference in Hanoi on January 12 to review its work in 2009 and outline orientations in 2010.

Since the water environment has greatly affected the people’s life, the MoNRE should view it as a pressing matter, which should be addressed immediately, PM Dung said.

He urged the ministry to pay due attention to inspecting and examining the basin of rivers nationwide to detect potential pollutions early and promptly deal with the detected polluters.

Regarding the planning and use of land, the MoNRE should better its management to help use this natural resource in an economical and appropriate manner, PM Dung emphasised.

He requested the MoNRE work to sternly protect the wet-rice farming land acreage and specialised and watershed protective forests, helping to ensure both food security and environmental protection.

Concurrently, the MoNRE should allocate a sizeable proportion of land for industries and infrastructural facilities to serve the nation’s industrialisation and modernisation, said PM Dung.

He required localities to work out their own specific solutions to cope with climate change and rising sea levels with a focus on establishing a strong system of sea and river dykes and forests to protect themselves against natural calamities.