Releasing Carps Arbitrarily: Be Careful of Heavy Penalties

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To be specific, according to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 7 of Decree 167/2013/ND-CP, a fine ranging from VND 1,000,000 to VND 2,000,000 will be imposed for one of the following acts:

a) Pouring, throwing waste, dirt, or other substances that foul houses, offices, working places, production locations, or business places of others;

b) Arbitrarily burning garbage, waste, toxic substances or other dangerous substances in residential areas or public places;

c) Dumping garbage, waste, or any other objects into manholes, public drainage systems, sidewalks, or roadways;

d) Leaving garbage, waste, animal carcasses, or any other objects that pollute public places or places with water taps, drinking wells, ponds, lagoons, lakes that people use daily, causing unsanitary conditions.

Therefore, the act of discarding plastic bags, containers, or anything previously used to hold fish is considered littering in public places and will be fined according to the above-mentioned levels. Additionally, violators must rectify the consequences of their actions by retrieving the discarded items. If the discarded items cause environmental pollution, the pollution must be remedied (Clause 3, Article 7 of Decree 167/2013/ND-CP).

More seriously, violators may be fined from VND 5,000,000 to VND 7,000,000 if they discard household waste on sidewalks, streets, or into urban drainage systems or surface drainage systems in urban areas.

To be specific, Point d, Clause 1, Article 20 of Decree 155/2016/ND-CP on administrative penalties in the field of environmental protection states:

Article 20. Violations of regulations on sanitation in public places; collection, transportation, burying, treatment, and disposal of household waste and regular industrial solid waste; transportation of materials, goods causing environmental pollution

1. Acts of collecting and disposing of household waste contrary to environmental protection regulations shall be penalized as follows:

…

d) A fine ranging from VND 5,000,000 to VND 7,000,000 will be imposed for the act of discarding or disposing of household waste on sidewalks, streets, or into urban drainage systems or urban surface drainage systems.

In conclusion, whether punished according to any Decree, the act of conveniently littering while releasing the carp is condemnable and in violation of the law. Therefore, it is advisable that each person should raise their awareness and remind their relatives to preserve the age-old cultural tradition while being conscious of protecting the living environment.

Toan Trung

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