Can electricity be used as animal traps in Vietnam?

Can electricity be used as animal traps in Vietnam?

Article 7 of the Electricity Law 2004 provides for prohibited acts in electricity activities and electricity use, specifically as follows:

1. Destroying electrical equipment and facilities, electricity-measuring or counting equipment or electricity works.

2. Conducting electricity activities without permits as provided for by this Law.

3. Switching on, switching off electricity supply illegally.

4. Violating the regulations on safety in electricity generation, transmission, distribution and use.

5. Obstructing the inspection of electricity activities and use.

6. Stealing electricity.

7. Using electricity as animal traps or protection means, except for cases prescribed in Article 59 of this Law.

8. Violating the regulations on protection of electricity grid safety corridors, on safe distances of transmission tines and transformer stations.

9. Supplying untruthful information, thus causing harms to the legitimate rights and interests of organizations or individuals conducting electricity activities or using electricity.

10. Abusing positions and/or powers to harass for bribes, cause troubles, earn illicit profits in electricity activities and/or electricity use.

11. Other acts of violation prescribed by electricity legislation.

According to Article 59 of the Electricity Law 2004 as amended by Point e, Clause 1, Article 2 of the revised Electricity Law 2012, stipulating using electricity as direct protection means, as follows:

1. Using electricity as a direct protection facility means the use of electric source with appropriate voltage for direct connection with fences, barriers or shields of protected areas (hereinafter referred collectively to as electric fences) in order to prevent the infiltration into the protected areas and to emit alarming signals to persons guarding such areas.

2. Electricity shall be used as a direct protection means only when other protection measures have been applied inefficiently, and such must be permitted by competent state agencies.

3. Electric fences must be designed and installed to avoid all accidental contacts with people and cattle, to have danger signboards, not to affect the operation of electric system and not to cause danger to vicinities and living environment. The electric fence managers and users must be professionally trained in electricity.

4. The Minister of Public Security, the Minister of Defense shall, within the ambit of their respective tasks and powers, prescribe areas permitted for use of electric fences.

5. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall prescribe standards and conditions for using electricity as direct protection means.

According to this Article, you intend to connect electricity around your field to kill rats, which is the act of using electricity to trap animals or as a means of protection without permission of a competent state agency. Therefore, this behavior of yours is strictly prohibited by law in Vietnam.

How much is fine for using electricity as animal traps in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 15 of Decree 134/2013/ND-CP as amended by Clause 18, Article 2 of Decree 17/2022/ND-CP has the following provisions:

5. A fine ranging from VND 60.000.000 to VND 70.000.000 shall be imposed on:

a) Digging or driving piles into safety corridor of underground cables;

b) Operating equipment, instrument, or vehicles or conducting other activities in a manner that violates minimum approach distance by voltage;

c) Dismantling any component of electrical grid or power plant when not assigned to do so;

d) Throwing any object and causing damage to electrical grid or power plant or causing incident to electrical grid or power plant;

dd) Employing electricity to trap, capture animals or to use as direct protective measures in a manner that contradicts regulations and law;

e) Failing to adequately promulgate procedures and regulations on electrical safety;

g) Failing to adequately adopt safety measures when working by work slip or work order and thereby causing incidents or accidents;

h) Utilizing or hiring individuals who have not received electrical training or electrical safety training, or have not been issued with electrical safety card, inspector card to manage operation, repair electrical grid, power plant, or conduct technical safety inspection of electrical equipment and instruments;

i) Setting up power lines across residential areas, crowded areas or letting the power lines to carry more load than the prescribed standards;

k) Failing to have standards and technical regulations on electrical safety issued by competent authorities;

l) Failing to develop and adopt procedures, regulations, and methods of organizing implementation of regulations on electrical safety at workplace and enterprises on the basis of standards and technical regulations on electrical safety issued by competent authorities;

m) Failing to produce documents, information sheets, and technical dossiers relating to electrical equipment and managing organizations;

n) Failing to produce statistical reports, monitor electricity-related incidents and violations of safety corridor of high-voltage electrical grid under their management, and submit reports on electricity operations and local electricity use to the authorities.

8. Additional penalties:

Confiscation of exhibits and instruments of administrative violations for violations under Clause 3; Point a, Point c, and Point d Clause 4; Points a, b, c, d, and dd Clause 5; Point c Clause 6; Point a and Point c Clause 7 of this Article.

Best Regards!