Penalties for violations of regulations on the exploitation and protection of meteorological and hydrological works in Vietnam from February 01, 2025

Penalties for violations of regulations on the exploitation and protection of meteorological and hydrological works in Vietnam from February 01, 2025​ (Image from Internet)

On December 10, 2024, the Government of Vietnam promulgated Decree 155/2024/ND-CP providing for administrative sanctions in the field of meteorology and hydrology.

Penalties for violations of regulations on the exploitation and protection of meteorological and hydrological works in Vietnam from February 01, 2025​

According to the provisions of Article 12 of Decree 155/2024/ND-CP, penalties for violations concerning the exploitation and protection of meteorological works in Vietnam are as follows:

- A fine ranging from 1,000,000 VND to 3,000,000 VND for any of the following acts:

+ Lighting fires, spraying water affecting works within the meteorological station;

+ Obstructing the operation, exploitation of meteorological and hydrological works and equipment.

- A fine ranging from 3,000,000 VND to 5,000,000 VND for acts of extracting or discharging water within the technical corridor affecting hydrological works.

- A fine ranging from 5,000,000 VND to 7,000,000 VND for any of the following acts:

+ Infringing, occupying airspace, surface, underground area, surface water, underwater area; planting trees, constructing, or placing, leaving materials, works, and equipment within the technical corridor of meteorological and hydrological works affecting the activity of meteorological and hydrological works;

+ Building dams or obstructing flow within the technical corridor affecting hydrological station works;

+ Excavating riverbeds, riverbanks, or exploiting minerals within the technical corridor affecting hydrological station works;

+ Dumping waste or placing construction materials into riverbeds, riverbanks within the technical corridor affecting hydrological station works;

+ Placing structures, and thermal equipment affecting meteorological station works.

- A fine ranging from 7,000,000 VND to 10,000,000 VND for acts of relocating, altering, affecting, damaging technical corridor boundary markers of meteorological and hydrological works.

- A fine ranging from 10,000,000 VND to 15,000,000 VND for acts of intrusion, collision, destruction, relocation affecting or damaging meteorological and hydrological works, height markers, boundary markers of the technical corridor of meteorological and hydrological works.

- Penalties for acts damaging measuring instruments, communication equipment or other technical equipment of meteorological and hydrological works are as follows:

+ From 3,000,000 VND to 7,000,000 VND for acts damaging measuring instruments, communication equipment or technical equipment valued under 10,000,000 VND;

+ From 8,000,000 VND to 10,000,000 VND for acts damaging measuring instruments, communication equipment and technical equipment valued from 10,000,000 VND to under 50,000,000 VND;

+ From 10,000,000 VND to 15,000,000 VND for acts damaging measuring instruments, communication equipment or technical equipment valued from 50,000,000 VND to under 100,000,000 VND;

+ From 20,000,000 VND to 30,000,000 VND for acts damaging measuring instruments, communication equipment or technical equipment valued from 100,000,000 VND to under 300,000,000 VND;

+ From 30,000,000 VND to 40,000,000 VND for acts damaging measuring instruments, communication equipment and technical equipment valued from 300,000,000 VND to 500,000,000 VND;

+ From 40,000,000 VND to 50,000,000 VND for acts damaging measuring instruments, communication equipment or technical equipment valued over 500,000,000 VND.

- Administrative sanctions for acts of anchoring, stopping, and parking in unauthorized locations of boats or other vehicles in meteorological and hydrological works shall comply with legal provisions in the field of disaster prevention and control; water resources; and dike systems.

- Additional penalties: Confiscation of materials and means used to commit the violation specified in Clause 1 and Clause 4, Article 12 of Decree 155/2024/ND-CP.

- Remedial measures: Restoring the original state for violations specified at point b, Clause 1, Clauses 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, Article 12 of Decree 155/2024/ND-CP.

Note: The fines stipulated in Chapter II of Decree 155/2024/ND-CP apply to administrative violations by individuals. For organizations committing the same violations, the fines are doubled compared to individual penalties. (According to Clause 1, Article 5 of Decree 155/2024/ND-CP)

Refer to further details in the Decree 155/2024/ND-CP effective from February 1, 2025.

Decree 155/2024/ND-CP repeals the content in the following Decrees:

- Clause 2, Article 1, Chapter II, point a, Clause 2, Article 21; the phrase “meteorology and hydrology” in the title of the Decree, bases of promulgation, title of Chapter IV, at Clause 1 and Clause 4, Article 1, at Article 2, Clause 1, Article 3, point a, Clause 1, Article 20 of Decree 173/2013/ND-CP by the Government of Vietnam regulating administrative sanctions in the field of meteorology, hydrology, surveying, and mapping;

- Decree 84/2017/ND-CP by the Government of Vietnam amending and supplementing several articles of Decree 173/2013/ND-CP by the Government of Vietnam regulating administrative sanctions in the field of meteorology, hydrology, surveying, and mapping;

- Article 3 of Decree 04/2022/ND-CP by the Government of Vietnam amending and supplementing several articles of decrees on administrative sanctions in the fields of land; water resources and minerals; meteorology and hydrology; surveying and mapping.

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