Gemeinsam Heimat schaffen mit Schwäbisch Hall

Gemeinsam Heimat schaffen mit Schwäbisch Hall Unsere exzellenten Finanzlösungen haben uns zum Marktführer der Bausparkassen gemacht - unser persönlicher Einsatz zum vertrauensvollen Partner von über 7 Millionen Kunden. Beides verdanken wir Menschen, die ihr Bestes geben. Das ist Ihre Chance, ein praktisches Fundament für Ihr theoretisches Know-how zu schaffen. Erhalten Sie wertvolle Einblicke in die vielseitige Berufswelt eines Markführers und entfalten Sie Ihre Fähigkeiten. Wir suchen engagierte Studenten für Doktorarbeiten oder Abschlussarbeiten für unsere Vietnamstudien Ihre Rolle: Den Traum vom eigenen Zuhause hegen viele Menschen in aller Welt. In Tschechien, der Slowakei, Ungarn, Rumänien und ausgewählten Provinzen in China können sich die Menschen diesen Traum bereits mit Bausparen erfüllen. Für Vietnam ist dieser Weg des sicheren Sparens mit staatlicher Förderung und einem zinsgünstigen und zinssicheren Darlehen in der Diskussion. Konkret bedeutet das: In Ihrer Arbeit setzen Sie sich mit wesentlichen Aspekten des Bausparens auseinander. Dabei sollten insbesondere die Auswirkungen für potentielle Wohnungskäufer in Vietnam, auf den Arbeitsmarkt, das Staatsbudget bzw. auf den Finanzmarkt in Vietnam beleuchtet werden. Entsprechend der Ausrichtung Ihres Studiengangs wählen Sie gemeinsam mit uns einen oder mehrere Aspekte des Bausparens und untersuchen im Rahmen Ihrer Arbeit die Bedeutung und die Auswirkungen dieser Aspekte des Bausparens auf Vietnam. Dabei werden Sie von Experten aus Schwäbisch Hall tatkräftig unterstützt. Ihr Profil: Sie beherrschen die deutsche und vietnamesische Sprache in Wort und Schrift. Ihre selbstständige und konzeptionelle Arbeitsweise haben Sie in Ihrem Studium aufgebaut. Erleben Sie ein Unternehmen, das Ihre Leistungen schätzt, finanziell anerkennt und Ihre Weiterentwicklung fördert. Ergreifen Sie die Chance, gemeinsam mit uns Heimat zu schaffen. Schicken Sie Ihre Bewerbung an: uzma.shamshad@schwaebisch-hall.de, oder Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall AG, Frau Uzma Shamshad, Bereich Personal, Crailsheimer Straße 52, 74523 SchwäbischHall. Sie haben noch Fragen? Dann rufen Sie uns doch einfach an: Uzma Shamshad, Telefon 0791 46-32 70. Weitere Informationen finden Sie auf: www.schwaebisch-hall.de/karriere

Cùng Schwäbisch Hall tìm đất lành Với những giải pháp tài chính xuất sắc, chúng tôi đã trở thành doanh nghiệp dẫn đầu thế giới trong các Quỹ tiết kiệm xây nhà, cũng như được làm đối tác đầy tin cậy của hơn 6,8 triệu khách hàng. Đó là công lao của những người cống hiến hết khả năng và sức lực của mình. Nay bạn có cơ hội kiến tạo một nền tảng thực tế cho năng lực lý thuyết của mình. Bạn sẽ tiếp nhận được những bài học quý báu từ một thế giới nghề nghiệp phong phú của doanh nghiệp dẫn đầu thế giới, và bạn sẽ phát triển nâng cao khả năng của mình. Chúng tôi tìm sinh viên có hoài bão cho Luận án tiến sĩ hoặc Luận án tốt nghiệp về đề tài nghiên cứu Việt Nam Vai trò của bạn: Nhiều người mơ ước có một mái ấm riêng ở bất kỳ đâu trên thế giới. Ở Séc, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania và một số tỉnh ở Trung Quốc, nhiều người đã đạt được ước vọng đó nhờ phương thức tiết kiệm xây nhà. Hiện tại Việt Nam đang bàn luận mô hình tiết kiệm một cách chắc chắn với sự hỗ trợ của nhà nước cũng như vay tín dụng lãi suất thấp và ổn định. Cụ thể: Trong Luận văn của mình, bạn sẽ nghiên cứu các nội dung cơ bản của phương thức tiết kiệm xây nhà, đặc biệt là làm sáng tỏ các tác động đối với khách hàng mua nhà tiềm năng ở Việt Nam, với thị trường lao động, với ngân sách nhà nước hoặc thị trường tài chính ở Việt Nam. Tương thích với ngành học của bạn, bạn sẽ cùng chúng tôi chọn ra một hoặc nhiều nội dung của phương thức tiết kiệm xây nhà, viết luận văn nghiên cứu ý nghĩa và tác động của các nội dung tiết kiệm xây nhà đó ở Việt Nam. Các chuyên gia của Schwäbisch Hall sẽ tích cực hỗ trợ bạn trong công việc ấy. Bạn cần: Nói và viết thành thạo tiếng Đức và tiếng Việt Đã tạo được kỹ năng làm việc tự lập và có định hướng trong thời gian học đại học Hãy trải nghiệm một doanh nghiệp biết trân trọng thành tích của bạn, hỗ trợ bạn về tài chính và thúc đẩy bạn phát triển cao hơn. Hãy nắm lấy cơ hội này, cũng chúng tôi tìm đất lành. Hãy gửi đơn đến: rolf.stadel@schwaebisch-hall.de, hoặc Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall AG Herrn Rolf Stadel, Bereich Auslandsmärkte, Crailsheimer Straße 52, 74523 Schwäbisch Hall. Nếu cần thêm thông tin, bạn hãy gọi cho tôi: Rolf Stadel, +49 791 46-69 92. Bạn có thể tham khảo thêm: www.schwaebisch-hall.de/karriere

International DAAD Alumni Expert Seminar Science meets Economy Water and Waste Water Management in combination with the International Trade Fair IFAT India 20 th to 27 th of October 2013 Mumbai, India Introduction The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides financial means for conducting an Alumni Expert Seminar Science meets Economy Water and Waste Water Management to be held in Mumbai, India. The Expert Seminar is organised by the Centre for International Capacity Development, Universität Siegen. The Expert Seminar is scheduled from 20 th October (day of arrival) to 27 th of October 2013 (day of departure). The seminar will be conducted at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) in Mumbai for three days (21 st to 23 rd of October), thereafter participants will visit the international trade fair IFAT India. Background The German Alumni Water Network GAWN is closely connected to the International Trade Fair IFAT. In 2005, 2008 and 2010 DAAD Seminars have been organised through GAWN along with the IFAT Munich. Three university members of GAWN (University of Siegen - Centre for International Capacity Development, Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe - Institute for Sanitary Engineering, TU Dresden - Institute of Hydraulic Engineering) mobilised their existing contacts and GAWN members in India to set up a task force to organize a seminar along with the first IFAT India that will take place in Mumbai. The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay - Department of Civil Engineering, Mumbai, the Bangalore University, Civil Engineering Department and the PDP University Gandhinagar- Department of Civil Engineering are closely engaged in the organisation of the seminar. GAWN is now a working group of the German Association for Water management, Waste water and Waste DWA. The DWA will cooperate to organise and conduct the seminar at Mumbai, India. Links to GIZ in India and Bangladesh and to the German Water Partnership are established. Objective The main objective of the seminar is to increase sensitisation for the sustainable use and management of the resource water and improve networking of the local actors. Sub-objectives include: Exchanging experience and strategies available in the region regarding water management in relation to energy and food security between alumni, involved institutions and local stakeholders. In preparation of IFAT India existing contacts between educational institutes, authorities and the business sector are demonstrated. Concepts shall be developed to improve cooperation. The network GAWN and activities of the alumni related to the cooperation between Germany and the South Asia shall be highlighted at the IFAT India. Tentative Programme The seminar will have two parts: Three days seminar at the IIT Bombay. Presentations of alumni and German lecturers will focus on waste water and flood risk management, groundwater management, the page 1 of 3

cooperation of business sector with universities and public private partnerships in preparation of the fair. Three days visit of the international trade fair IFAT India. A common presentation of GAWN at the fair shall be organised, if possible a side event at the fair with relevance to German-Indian Cooperation. Guided tours at the fair are planned, as well. Participants Eligible for participation are persons who meet the following requirements: German university alumni from Southeast Asian developing countries (DAC countries). A stay in Germany of at least 3 months for study, work or scientific research purposes has to be proven. Candidates preferably are: Working in the field of water, water and waste water management or similar disciplines. Acting as multipliers, e.g. people who are decision makers or people who are in a position to disseminate the acquired knowledge. Postgraduate level. Cost Coverage: The project covers costs for: Return flights or bus travel to Mumbai/India from Southeast Asia (up to 500 Euro against receipt of actual cost, please provide tickets and boarding pass upon arrival) Accommodation and partly subsistence costs during the stay at Mumbai. Visa costs against receipt Working material during the Seminar Note: Health insurance cannot be covered by the project and has to be organised individually. Transport to the airport in your home country is seen as an individual contribution Application If you are interested, please send your application by 31 st July 2013 via e-mail to: Mr. Ruger Winnegge ruger.winnegge@uni-siegen.de The application (in English language) must include the following documents: Letter of application including your motivation for participation / your interest in the topic. A short CV with surname, name, organisation and current position, department, city, country, phone, e-mail. Please indicate that you have alumni status by giving us details about your previous stay in Germany. Please indicate if you are a PhD candidate or a student. A passport size portrait photograph. A short description of your present field of activities, your tasks/position and your personal professional goals. An overview on workshops, conferences and seminars visited in Germany after finishing your studies/your stay in Germany. A one page abstract on one of the topics of the summer school. Arial font type, font size 11, 1.5 line spacing. The abstracts will be selected for presentation during the seminar In cooperation with the DAAD the organising team will decide about the final participation after the deadline. Selected participants will be informed immediately. The Expert Seminar will be held in English, sufficient knowledge in English is required to participate, enabling you to follow page 2 of 3

the presentations and discussion rounds. With your application you agree that your data (name, organization, email) is given to selected company representatives and that you might appear on pictures which will be published on the DAAD website after the event. With your application you commit yourself to participate in the whole program (summer school, trade fair visit and social program). page 3 of 3

3. Northern provinces braced for floods, whirlwinds and landslides A 3-4 degree Celsius fall in temperature is forecast for the northern region this month, the National Centre for Hydro meteorological Forecasting has warned. Heavy rains were also expected and the centre advised local people, especially those living in the northern mountainous province, to prepare for flash floods, hailstorms, landslides, and whirlwinds. Meanwhile yesterday, roofs of 10 local houses were blown away, one school's gate was collapsed and a 2km high-voltage transmission system was cut off after a one-hour hailstorm hit central Binh Dinh Province's An Lao District. The damage bill, estimated at hundreds of millions of dong, was believed to be the biggest ever in the district. Previously, at least three people were injured and thousands of houses damaged after a heavy rain and whirlwinds hit northern mountainous provinces shortly before midnight on Tuesday. The injured were from Yen Bai and Lao Cai provinces. Around 3,600 houses were damaged and 22 collapsed, along with 200ha of rice were destroyed in Yen Bai Province. Initial cost estimates of the damage were around VND10 billion (US$480,000) in Yen Bai Province, according to the provincial Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control. Lao Cai Province's Bac Ha District was reported to be hardest hit, with up to 90 per cent of houses in Nam Det Commune seriously damaged. Bad weather caused power cuts in many areas. In Lai Chau Province' Son Binh Commune, nearly 100 houses were reported to have been either demolished or had their roofs blown off and dozens of ha of crops destroyed. In Ha Giang Province, the damage from heavy rain and whirlwinds was initially estimated at VND5 billion ($240,000). Local authorities have dispatched officials to the areas to help residents. According to General Statistics Office, in April as many as 59 people were killed and injured mainly by hailstorms and whirlwinds in northern mountainous provinces. Nearly 23,000 houses were inundated and damaged.

4. Water resources policy needed Doan The Loi, director general of the Institute for Water Resources Research under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, spoke with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on how to co-ordinate water management. Some people have complained that the lack of good co-ordination among water users in Viet Nam has led to disputes. How do you respond to that? Water disputes are unavoidable when the number of users has increased while water resources have become scarcer and scarcer. This is a universal problem, not only for Viet Nam but for other countries worldwide. To solve this problem, it is imperative to have a comprehensive solution with different scenarios. And, it will take time as it cannot be done overnight. We all agree that it is important to build a hydro-electricity power plant. But the building of such a power plant cannot be to the detriment of other economic sectors like agriculture, industry, or the people s daily use. In other words, it requires the government to act as general director to coordinate all the water users in a harmonised way that meets the interest and benefit of all sectors in society. In our country at present, water management and exploitation are assigned to various government agencies. For example, water resources are managed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Enviroment; the construction of hydro power plants are managed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade while the MARD is in charge of water irrigation and dykes. Do you mean water management is scattered? Yes! Totally scattered and no linkage. If there was a good linkage or co-ordination, disputes would not have happened. There are many occasions where scientists and researchers have raised their voices on the need to have an agency to act as a focal point in water management. I m confident that once such an agency is established the problem of water disputes will be resolved satisfactorily. That means we need a rule before people can start the game. Do you agree? Well, there are several laws on water management in our country. But their enforcement is poor. Under the laws, an owner of a hydropower plant must consult with relevant agencies and people who will be affected by the construction of the plant before they make a decision on constructing the plant. In reality the consultative process was done, yet it was done for the sake of doing it. It was almost meaningless. In my opinion, that s the root cause of the disputes. If the water management agency is in place and is empowered to regulate the water use among the users, all the players will feel happy. I still remember that about a decade ago there was a drive to buildhydro power plants in Viet Nam. To raise money to build the plants, the project owners issued shares with a promise of instant money once the plants start generating electricity. And we all agree that thanks to hydro power plants we have enjoyed stable electricity supply. But the poor planning and the weak co-ordination among water users has sometimes become chaos for the people and agencies. Will you please explain the consequences of poor co-ordination among water users?

Water exploitation is a big issue as it involves people from all aspects of life be they humble or noble. Here we talk of both the surface and underground water. I have to say the extraction of underground water nowadays has become a serious problem in many localities. For example, in the Tay Nguyen Central Highlands, coffee farmers have over-extracted the underground water to irrigate their coffee plants while fishing farmers in the Mekong delta overextract underground water to raise aqua-products. These days people talk a lot about the sea level rises and their consequences. But in my opinion, the over-extraction of the underground water is more serious than sea level rises. Its consequences have been reflected in the media quite frequently these days. In short, it is high time for Viet Nam to reform its water resources management, to treat water as a kind of commodity. It needs a comprehensive management approach and a general director to lead the choir.

5. Capital to focus on areas of chronic flooding Thai Ha Street in Ha Noi's Dong Da District floods after rain. There are at least 20 flood-prone locations across the city causing traffic problems, resulting in calls to tackle the situation before the rainy season begins in May. Attempts are being made to dredge drains and clean up canals and rivers. Ha Noi authorities have set up a pilot scheme to install cameras in underground sewers to detect the dumping of any building or other waste into the drainage system. The effort, announced by Nguyen Anh Tu, deputy head of the Ha Noi Sewerage and Drainage Company's Administrative Office, aims to help the city overcome existing flood-prone areas. In an interview with Kinh te va Do Thi (Economy and City) newspaper, Tu disclosed that the company will assess whether the measure can provide any useful evidence in alleviating flood black-spots. A series of big sewers is also being put into operation throughout Ha Noi to try and avoid flooding after heavy showers. This is because rainfall is expected to increase to a maximum of 310mm by next year, he said. About 20 flood prone locations are expected to still cause trouble throughout the city this year. Trouble is expected when more than 100mm of rain falls during the rainy season between May and July. New black spots have been declared in Nguyen Xien and Pham Van Dong streets in Cau Giay, said Le Vu Quang Suong, head of Ha Noi Sewerage and Drainage Company's Planning Office. However, three problem areas have been removed at the intersection of Ngo Thi Nham and Nguyen Cong Tru streets in Hai Ba Trung District, and Thai Thinh and Kham Thien streets in Dong Da District, he revealed. According to Suong, construction waste had been dumped in the drainage system, blocking the flow of water along Nguyen Xien Street. Lack of good drainage is also blamed for flooding in Pham Van Dong Street, he said.

Suong added that problem areas still causing concern this year, included streets in the inner city, such as Nguyen Khuyen in Hai Ba Trung District, Tan Mai and Linh Nam in Hoang Mai District; at the intersections of Phan Boi Chau and Ly Thuong Kiet in Hoan Kiem District, and Duoi Ca and Truong Dinh in Hoang Mai District. The company has attempted to fix the situation through dredging drains and cleaning up canals and rivers in the inner city, he said. Under the city's water drainage planning till 2030, Ha Noi plans to clear existing flood vulnerable spots in inner districts of Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem and Hoang Mai by 2015.

6. City projects seek investors City authorities are calling for investment in dozens of projects in HCM City's Thu Thiem new urban area, which is expected to be a major international financial-commercial centre by 2020. Construction on the main infrastructure of the new urban area, which covers 657 ha in District 2, began on April 26 by the Thu Thiem Investment and Construction Authority. City authorities called for investors in more than 10 large-scale projects at a conference held in HCM City yesterday, attended by 200 representatives from local and foreign companies. The city said it would offer open-door policies and simplified administrative procedures. Several local and international investors have expressed interest in six of the projects. Four of the projects were introduced to investors for the first time, including an international tradefinance-banking centre located in the heart of Thu Thiem, a 39-ha multi-purpose sports recreation complex, and a 84-ha Northern Residential Area in the 16-ha Thu Thiem Software Park. In addition, a 7.3-ha hotel and resort project will be built in the southern region of the urban area. Major infrastructure projects include four main roads, a central lake, artificial canals, and a pedestrian bridge and central square, according to Thu Thiem Investment and Construction Authority. Trang Bao Son, deputy head of the Authority, said the four main roads would be built by the Viet Nam Infrastructure Development and Finance Investment Company Dai Quang Minh consortium under the build-transfer and "land in exchange for infrastructure" format. In addition to the projects that are seeking new investors, Son noted that the city had approved nine additional projects invested in by companies from Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Viet Nam. According to the Authority, 98.2 per cent of land has been cleared on the peninsula, and scaleplanning has been approved. Construction of two schools has been completed, and resident relocation will take place by the end of the year. During the conference, Son said many local and international organisations have expressed interest in the area since the master plan was completed in 2005. The Thu Thiem New Urban Area will have four major functional areas, including a central residential area, a northern residential area, a southern residential area, multi-functional areas along the East-West Highway, and a green southwestern area. Initially, the city will invest VND22 trillion (US$1.04 billion) in developing the four main roads. Some VND10 trillion will be used for building the four main roads. Infrastructure

During the conference, Le Hoang Chau, head of the HCM City Real Estate Association, said the city would try to attract more investors to turn Thu Thiem Peninsula into an area like the welldeveloped Phu My Hung in District 7. "The new urban area is well-situated next to the Sai Gon River. It can be compared with Pudong of Shanghai and Shenzhen in China," he said, adding that investment in the area would be advantageous, especially because of the downturn in the real-estate market elsewhere in the city. Chau suggested the city speed up completing the main infrastructure of the new urban area. He said that investors in Phu My Hung built Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard and only began to collect profits 13 years later. He also urged the city to further simplify administration procedures to attract more investors. Currently, the Thu Thiem Investment and Construction Authority is the only agency that works with investors. "The economic situation of Viet Nam is still not that good and we have to compete with Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and Myanmar in attracting foreign direct investment," Chau said. He also asked the city to reduce land prices to more than US$1,000 per square metre to attract more investors.

7. Master plan much needed for energy development Viet Nam should create a master plan for the national energy system, said President of Viet Nam Energy Association (VEA) Tran Viet Ngai at a forum on energy and oil investment and sustainable development held in Ha Noi yesterday. Currently the electricity, coal, oil and renewable energy industries all have their own development plans, he said, so "prices of energy used for production of other energy have had shortcomings." As an example, he said, the price of coal sold to thermo-electricity plants was not equal to production cost. Ngai emphasized that if the sector did not resolve this issue, it would be difficult to draw foreign investors into build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects. "VEA suggests that the Government approve electricity planning after completing primary energy plans for coal, oil and renewable energy. In addition, every energy plan should have an orientation to 10 years," he added. Doan Van Binh, head of the Institute of Energy Science (IES), said Viet Nam's economic growth had stayed at the high rate of five to eight per cent, resulting in increased energy consumption particularly for electricity, with annual consumption growing by 14 per cent. "The high consumption will cause energy shortages in the future, forcing the country to build more power plants," Binh warned. Viet Nam's hydro-power plants will generate about 80 billion kwh by 2015 while renewable energy is expected to supply less than 10,000MW. Electricity shortages were forecast to reach up to 50 billion kwh by 2030. Nguyen An Tuan from the Institute of Energy agreed that Viet Nam faced a major challenge when it came to energy security and sustainable development, as demand for primary energies would be 250 million tonnes of oil equivalent (TOE) by 2030, five times higher than 2010. The country would have to import coal for electricity production by 2015, forcing it to depend on the world energy supply and prices, he said. To solve the issue, he suggested expanding exploration and exploitation of domestic and foreign energy resources, including developing renewable energy. "It is necessary to develop a competitive energy market and use energy more effectively. In addition, we should make energy production less polluting to protect the environment," he said.

8. Mekong nations share climate fight Some economic benefits from co-operation among countries within the Greater Mekong sub-region could be damaged by the effects of climate change. The warning was issued by scientists and urban planners at a two-day workshop in central Binh Dinh Province yesterday, where stakeholders shared experiences in adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change in Asian cities. The experts called for closer links among countries and cities in fighting the climate phenomenon. Richard Friend, a senior scientist from the Bangkok-based The Institute for Social and Environmental Transition - International, said the region was particularly vulnerable to the physical shocks and stresses of climate change, especially as it was urbanising rapidly in coastal areas, deltas and river basins. "With more people and economic assets located in urban areas, the risks associated with climate change are shifting in ways that require urgent action," he said. Friend said that forecasting, warning and coping with natural disasters was a major common concern, thus, lessons learned from countries could be shared. Thongchai Roachanakanan, senior architect with the Thai Institute for Urban and Rural Planning, said that severe floods occurred in Bangkok two years ago, but local authorities were still struggling to draw any conclusions. He said insufficient warnings and responses were initially blamed for the incident, noting that the in-depth causes possibly were deforestation, rapid urbanisation and the presence of industrial zones to the east of Bangkok City. Vice chairwoman of Binh Dinh Province People's Committee Tran Thi Thu Ha said that as a coastal province, Binh Dinh had carried out activities, with international support, to better assess its vulnerability to climate change and cope with the impacts. Moreover, it had also developed a scenario on climate change and rising sea levels and implemented projects to adapt, including one to mitigate impacts of flood on the lower part of the Ha Thanh and Kon Rivers. The workshop was co-organised by Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN), the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition-International, and the Binh Dinh People's Committee. Launched in 2008, ACCCRN is a network of cities and partners in Thailand, India, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Bangladesh and the Philippines and is supported by the Rockefeller Foundation as part of a US$59 million, nine-year climate-change resilience initiative. The Greater Mekong sub-region includes Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam and China's Yunnan Province.

9. Master plan to tackle river pollution The Prime Minister has approved a master plan for the building of an extensive drainage and waste water treatment system in residential areas and industrial parks in the Nhue-Day river basin by 2030. The plan states that 24 household waste processing plants will be built, 12 of which will be located in the capital city. The rest will be spread between Luong Son town and the cities of Phu Ly, Ninh Binh and Nam Dinh. The project plan states that around VND108 trillion (US$5 billion) will be spent on the construction of nine rain and waste water drainage systems and waste processing stations in the low section of the river. The river basin covers a 7,665 square kilometre area across the northern provinces of Ha Nam, Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh, Nam Dinh and Ha Noi. Nine drainage systems will be built in the basin, and reservoirs with self-draining capacity will be developed in order to reduce the investment expense and improve the ecological environment. Waste water released from urban areas will be gathered and treated in line with environmental standards before being discharged into the river. Industrial zones will have their own systems to process waste water. The plan forms one part of the Nhue-Day River Environment Protection before 2020 project, which was approved by the Prime Minister in 2008. Previously, several initiatives were launched to combat pollution in the river basin, but few of them worked effectively according to Dinh Van Hoa, director of Hoa Binh Province's Natural Resource and Environment Department. He blamed the lack of a suitable labour force and an absence of co-ordination among the provinces for the failure of these projects. "I really hope that the new plan can completely eliminates the pollution in the river basin, something which has not been achieved in previous attempts," Hoa said. The pollution has been a major environmental issue for years. Analysis conducted by the Centre for Environmental Monitoring under Ha Nam Province's Department of Natural Resource and Environment last week revealed that the river water is polluted to extremely alarming levels. The ammonium concentration is 151 times higher than the regulated limit, while the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water is five times smaller than the standard.

10. JICA to aid Mekong on climate issue The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will implement nine projects to help provinces in the Mekong Delta deal with climate change. The projects will focus on building anti-salinity gates, improving and building coastal dykes, and developing fresh water resources. They will also look to strengthen capacity in water-flow management, crop calendars and sustainable shrimp farming in the region. According to the Southern Institute for Water Resources Planning, orchards and rice fields in the region were hardest hit by climate change, especially salt water intrusion. In addition to the nine projects, JICA will deploy small-scale programmes and projects to help local people improve economic conditions in Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and Kien Giang. The agency will also study and expand new plant varieties which are resistant to saline water and set up salinity warning systems to preserve mangrove forests. Since 2011, JICA has helped the seven provinces to evaluate the impacts of climate change for the 2020-50 period, and establish master plans and measures to respond to them.

11. Cleaning up the capital city The capital city plans to construct 39 waste treatment plants for urban areas with an expected capacity of 1.8 million cubic metres per day by 2030, stretching to nearly 2.5 million cubic metres per day by 2050. The target falls under the city's drainage plan until 2030, with a vision towards 2050, which was recently approved by the Prime Minister. The plan is estimated to be worth approximately VND53.35 trillion (over US$2.56 billion) by 2020 and VND116.5 trillion (over $5.6 billion) by 2030. According to the blueprint, the city will have three main drainage areas with the first being the Ta Day area encompassing drainage basins in the rivers of To Lich, Dong My, Ta Nhue, Huu Nhue, Phu Xuyen with an area of about 47,350 hectares. The second is the Huu Day area including drainage basins of Son Tay, Xuan Mai, Hoa Lac, Quoc Oai, Phuc Tho and Chuc Son with an area of over 31,300 hectares; and, for the third, northern Ha Noi with drainage basins in the districts of Long Bien, Gia Lam, Dong Anh, Me Linh and Soc Son in an area of over 46,700 hectares. Risk of flooding Although a number of sewage projects have been conducted, Ha Noi still faces high risks of flooding during the rainy season. Despite a sewage project in Tay Ho District's An Duong Street being completed last year, the local ridents are still worried by the threat. Nguyen Van Hoi, a resident who supervised the project, said sewage pipes were placed too deep, whereas some parts of An Duong Street are too low, meaning rain water will still converge on the street causing flooding. Le Vu Quang Suong, an official of the Ha Noi Sewerage and Drainage One-member Co Ltd said the sewage system had improved and was becoming better year by year. However, the abnormal short heavy rains experienced since 2008 have meant the system's capacity was exceeded, preventing it from draining. At present, the city's sewage system can drain rains of between 172-310mm per two days. Phan Hoai Minh, director of the company, said, "Flooding in the city during heavy rains cannot be avoided as the rate of sewage pipes in the city is only 0.4-0.5 metres per person, 1.5-2m lower than other cities in the world." The systems in new urban residential areas are not built based on their requirements and are subsequently substandard. Moreover, the sewage system was often damaged when people discharged waste, stole drain covers and encroached on the system with their own construction work, he said. Le Vu Quang Suong added that the company is conducting new sewage projects this year to partially reduce the flooding. The sewage systems on Huynh Thuc Khang-Lang Ha, Tran Huy Lieu-Giang Vo and Dao Duy Anh- Hoang Tich Tri streets have all been improved in recent months.

Meanwhile, the second stage of the Yen So pumping station was completed and opened for use at the end of last year. From the middle of May, the company will regularly supervise water levels in the sewage system to ensure they are ready for abnormal rains. The company will also join hands with relevant agencies to regulate the water levels in inner and suburban areas of the city. Nguyen Hong Tien, director of the Ministry of Construction's Technical Infrastructure Department, proposed designing a rain water collection system. Flooding prevention should go hand-in-hand with recycling rain water, he said. Tien added that construction management should be strengthened and investors should be supervised when building the sewage and drainage system.

12. City plans urban makeover Tau Hu-Ben Nghe Canal in HCM City. The city plans to develop more green spaces and modern transportation in its downtown. VNA/VNS Photo Manh Linh Downtown HCM City will be transformed into a modern city centre with more green spaces, pedestrian-only streets and efficient public transportation means including trams, rapid bus transits and ferries. Under a detailed plan unveiled by the city's Department of Planning and Architecture on Friday, the 930ha downtown area will be divided into five functional areas. The first of these areas lies within District 1 and covers 92.3ha. This will be the central business district of HCM City with trade, hospitality and administration functions. Together with underground metro stations, other underground spaces including walkways, shopping malls and car parks, this area will be developed along Le Loi and Nguyen Hue boulevards. The second area, which also lies within District 1 and covers 212.2ha, will be home to cultural and historical sites in and surrounding Le Duan Street. This area currently has low construction density, so it will be developed to have more green spaces along Le Duan Street, which runs from the Reunification Palace to the Sai Gon Zoo. Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street has been targeted for high-density development. The third area is a multi-functional area along the basin of Sai Gon River, which covers 274.8ha. It stretches from Sai Gon Bridge to Tan Thuan Bridge, spanning Binh Thanh District and districts 1 and 4. Under the plan, many cultural, entertainment and public space will be developed in this area. The fourth is the existing residential area with many French colonial villas that covers parts of District 1 and 3, stretching more than 232.3ha. Development in this area will be restricted in order to preserve the French-style villas. The last area is adjacent to the first area to the south, where high-rise buildings of more than 200 metres will be allowed for development. The high-rise buildings will be developed near the Ben

Thanh metro station, along Ham Nghi Street, Ben Nghe canal and Nguyen Thai Hoc street extension. Walking space Under the plan, the city will become a more pedestrian friendly place. Major streets in the downtown area like the Nguyen Hue and Le Loi boulevards, Dong Khoi Street and part of Huynh Thuc Khang Street and Ben Thanh Market roundabout will become pedestrian areas. Although the plan mentions no timeline, it says Vo Van Tan, Pham Ngoc Thach, Tran Cao Van and Pho Duc Chinh are also planned to become pedestrian-only streets. The city will also have several footbridges at various locations. Underground works at the city centre, which include metro stations, shopping malls, parking lots and walkways, will be connected from the September 23 Park-Ben Thanh metro station, Le Loi and Nguyen Hue boulevards and the HCM City Opera House metro station to Ton Duc Thang Street and Me Linh Square. The city centre will also be connected with other public transport facilities including rapid bus transit services from District 4 to District 1 and from Ben Thanh metro station to District 7. Besides, trams along Sai Gon River will also be developed, connecting later with the Thanh Da peninsula in Binh Thanh District. The plan envisages around 70ha of new green space, including parks along the Sai Gon River and within the city as well as trees planted along many streets. Ho Quang Toan, deputy director of the city's Department of Planning and Architecture, said they have submitted the detailed plan to the HCM City People's Committee for approval. Any project undertaken in the city centre must strictly conform to the plan, he added.

13. Aussies to give $157m for development push The Australian Government will provide an estimated A$159.1 million (US$157 million) in official development assistance to Viet Nam for the 2013-14 period, the Australian Embassy announced yesterday. Australia remains strongly committed to assisting Viet Nam to overcome poverty and ensure sustainable development as demonstrated by the increase in funding of A$6 million compared to the previous period, Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam Hugh Borrowman said. "This is part of the Government's overall commitment to increase the size of the Australian aid programme to A$5.7 billion up from A$5.2 billion in 2012-13," Borrowman said.. Australian assistance to Viet Nam in 2013-14 will continue to support the Cao Lanh Bridge project. Construction is expected to begin this year. The bridge will improve access to markets and basic social and health services for residents in the densely populated central Mekong Delta region "Australia will continue to assist Viet Nam's economic reforms and improve access to essential infrastructure services such as water supply and sanitation," Borrowman said. "We will also build transport linkages that connect poor areas to key transport and economic corridors. Australia will continue to support Viet Nam's climate change response with a particular focus on the Mekong Delta region. "We will do this by working with provincial governments and communities on adaptation measures to protect and promote people's livelihoods. "Australia will provide up to 250 Australia Awards Scholarships in 2013-14. These awards are designed to develop the skills of Vietnamese so they can contribute to development," the diplomat added.

14. Central Highlands bauxite mines claimed to be safe A bauxite ore classification and cleaning workshop at the Tan Rai Bauxite Mining Plant in Lam Dong Province. Vinacomin claims that bauxite mining plants in the Central Highland are socio-economically efficient and environmentally safe. The Viet Nam Coal and Mineral Group (Vinacomin) claims that bauxite mining plants Tan Rai and Nhan Co in the Central Highlands are socio-economically efficient and environmentally safe. Construction began on the Tan Rai Plant in Lam Dong Province in 2008, and on the Nhan Co Plant two years later in Dak Nong Province, but there are concerns the plants may be unsafe. According to a Vinacomin report presented yesterday, the plants have exploited 1.6 million tonnes of bauxite ore to produce 265,000 tonnes of refined bauxite up to this April. Each plant's annual output is about 650,000 tonnes of alumina. Nguyen Tien Chinh, head of Vinacomin's science, technology and strategic development, admitted that the two plants were not meeting the desired economic expectations currently but would be beneficial in the long-term. According to the group, by April, the total investment capital for both plants will be about VND11.6 trillion (about US$0.5 billion). Vinacomin said it expected to sell 50,300 tonnes of alumina and 8,670 tonnes of hydrate to eight customers by June. Chinh said the time span for return of capital for the Lam Dong complex was 12 years and Tan Rai 13 years. Both projects put about VND850 billion ($41.4 million) into the State budget each year - and provide employment for about 3,000 people. The group also claim that the technologies used do not harm the environment. Viet Nam is believed to have 10 to 11 billion of tonnes of bauxite, mainly found in the Central Highlands, but it still has to import 100 per cent of alumina for production. The Tan Rai and Nhan Co plants are two of six plants to be built in the Central Highlands to produce 6-8.5 million tonnes of alumina, or refined bauxite, annually by 2015.

15. Lower land-use fees help City homeowners Lower land-use fees will help residents in HCM City become homeowners and have better access to land-use right certificates, according to a source from the city's People's Committee. The decision to reduce land-use fees was made at the 99th meeting of the HCM City Party Committee's Standing Board held on Thursday. Under the decision, the land-price adjustment would affect people who apply to the State for landuse rights' recognition and to those who want to transfer land-use for other purposes. The new land-use fees will be cut by 50 to 70 per cent, depending on the district. Adjustments will be made in all districts at the same time. The new adjustment will not be applied to those who have already paid the land-use fee under the former regulations in Decision 28/2012/QD-UBND on applying for certificates of land-use rights. However, the new regulation will apply to people who have already applied for certificates of landuse rights and have received the documents, but have not paid the land-use fee. The new land-use adjustment fee is much lower than the previous one in HCM City. A report from the Party Committee's Standing Board said the city's old coefficient rate of 3.5-4.5 on land-use fees, which were set out in Decision 28, were too high. The fees are beyond the financial capacity of local residents, it said. More than 6,000 applications for certificates of land-use rights (known informally as the "red book") have not been handed out because the applicants could not afford the fee. An official of the city's Department of Natural Resources and Environment said the city was having problems collecting the land-use fees, while the work has been going smoothly in other cities and provinces. The HCM City coefficient used for the land-use fee is 4.5, while Ha Noi's is only 1.5, he said. "The city's new co-efficient is still higher than many other localities," he added. A representative of the city's People's Committee, Dao Thi Huong Lan, said that, as of May 15, the city's incomplete data showed that land-use fees of VND525 billion (US$25.2 million) had been collected from 11,000 applications on land-use rights. At least 3,337 applicants had not paid land-use fees, worth a total of VND1.2 trillion (US$57.6 million). More than 350 of these applications were withdrawn because of high fees, Lan said. A representative of the District 3's authority, who declined to be named, said that the district still had 1,800 applications that need more legal papers, but only a few cases were prepared to submit the necessary documents. Land-use fees have reached millions of dong and even more than 1 billion, far beyond the reach of most people.

Many residents do not want certificates of land-use rights because they have no plans to transfer houses or land, according to the District 3 representative. The slow process of granting land-use right certificates has not only affected local people's interests but also limited the local authority's property management work as well as revenue for the State budget. With the new land-rice coefficient rate, HCM City residents' land-use fees will drop significantly, and as a result, more land-use certificates will be granted, the official said.

16. Dong Nai against planned dams The administration of southern Dong Nai Province has petitioned the Government to stop two hydro-power projects planned to be built on the upper section of the Dong Nai River citing environmental concerns. The petition, signed by Nguyen Thanh Tri, deputy chairman of the People s Committee and head of the Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve management, says Hydro-power Projects 6 and 6A, which encroaches on 137.5 ha of land belonging to the Cat Tien National Park, will have several adverse impacts. It warns that the Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve will be affected, including direct impacts on major mangrove swamps like Bau Sau Ramsar. The Dong Nai River s flow will be affected, causing floods in the rainy season and shortage of water in the dry season in the lower sections, it says. The dams will destroy the habitats of some rare fauna and flora, bury relics scattered around Cat Tien and impact the culture and livelihoods of ethnic minorities in the area. The construction of the power projects is also a violation of Vietnamese laws and international conventions on the environment. The petition has been sent to the Prime Minister and the National Assembly s Science, Technology and Environment Committee. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has been considering applications for the two dams licences. The Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, which spreads over almost a million hectares in 13 districts of Dong Nai, Lam Dong, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc and Tay Ninh Provinces, is home to 450,000 people. At a meeting with District 10 voters on Tuesday, HCM City NA member Huynh Thanh Dat said the city also backs Dong Nai in demanding careful consideration on the pros and cons of the two hydropower plants before approving them. Dat, also deputy director of the National University of HCM City, echoed the province s concerns about the projects impacts on the environment and the Dong Nai River s downstream residents. Tens of millions of people in Dong Nai, HCM City and other southern provinces could also be impacted, he added.

17. Hydro lake depleted of fish due to poor management' Fish have become depleted in an artificial lake in northern Dien Bien Province's Dien Bien District due to lack of management and co-operation among vested interest groups while calls for action by local commune leaders and residents have gone unheeded. Pa Khoang Lake supplies water to the hydro plants of Thac Bay, Na Loi, and Thac Trang as well as most rice fields in the region. Located in Muong Phang Commune, it is about 20km from Dien Bien Phu city, linking the city with the Muong Phang forest where relics of the Dien Bien Phu campaign remain. It covers 600ha and contains 40 million cubic meters of water with numerous islands and varieties of animals and vegetation. In the 1990s, the Dien Bien Agricultural and Aquatic Products Management Limited Company was in charge of rearing fish in the lake, which produced 100-120 tonnes of fish per year for the local region. Fishing in the lake was also a major activity for locals and tourists. However, since 2004 management of the lake has has been in the hands of several enterprises and authorities, such as the management board of the Pa Khoang Tourism Project, district police and the military command, among which groups there has been a lack of co-operation. The result has been over-exploitation. The disappointed district People's Committee has twice proposed the lake be put under the management of the Muong Phang Commune to no avail. Lo Van Tinh, chairman of the communal People's Committee, said that the lake would surely be managed more effectively by the commune authority and residents. "When people directly benefit from the lake, they will protect it," he said. Tinh said commune leaders would continue to discuss ways to manage the lake while continuing to lobby the higher authorities for the best solution.

18. Leadership sought in pollution battle Viet Nam needs a better monitoring and reporting system of water pollution in rural and urban areas, according to experts who spoke at a recent seminar on environmental management held in HCM City. Duong Xuan Diep, deputy head of the Institute of Science and Environment Management, said that water pollution was worsening, especially "non-point" pollution sources caused by such factors as soil flow, rainfall, atmospheric deposition and water drainage. Non-point pollution, which is difficult to identify, analyse and control, is one of the main causes of lower water quality in rural areas, he added. Seminar participants said the overuse of fertilisers and plant-protection chemicals were polluting waterways. They said a joint circular on water-pollution control in rural areas should be issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The government, they said, should also offer incentives to promote production, trade and use of organic fertilisers and compost. Strict sanctions to control water environment in rural areas, and better monitoring of water pollution by local governments, were also needed. Better cultivation methods and control of rainfall runoff would help minimise non-point pollution. Participants urged the Government to organise training activities on technical transfer and improve management agencies at the local level. Begun in 2010, the Technical Cooperation Project, implemented by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, has a total investment of JPY700 million (nearly US$7 million), sourced from the Japan Official Development Assistance (ODA). The project aims to help enforce the water-management programme of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The project targets Ha Noi, Hai Phong and HCM City and the provinces of Thua Thien-Hue and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. It has helped improve water-management policy-making and administrative regulations as well as information management. In addition, the project has raised the awareness of environmental issues among the public and industrial sector. One of its most important outcomes was the Pollution Source Inventory, which is used for waterpollution control in target cities and provinces.