Decision No. 02/QD-TTg Approves the Project "Enhancing Forest Fire Prevention and Control Capacity for Forest Rangers" for the period 2007-2010

Pursuant to …;

Approving the Project "Enhancing the Capacity for Forest Fire Prevention and Control for Forest Rangers" for the period 2007-2010

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PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to the Law on Fire Prevention and Fighting dated June 29, 2001;

Pursuant to the Law on Forest Protection and Development dated December 3, 2004;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (report No. 2609/BNN-KL dated October 10, 2006).

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the Project "Enhancing the Capacity for Forest Fire Prevention and Control for Forest Rangers" for the period 2007-2010, which includes the following main contents:

1. Objectives and guiding principles for forest fire prevention and control work

After completing this module, the trainee will be able to:

Strengthening organization and enhancing capacity for specialized forces in forest fire prevention and control from central to local levels to have sufficient capability to monitor forest fires, reduce the risk of forest fires, promptly and effectively extinguish forest fires, and minimize losses caused by forest fires.

b) Guiding principles for forest fire prevention and control work:

- Enhance awareness and responsibility of the people and all levels of government regarding forest fire prevention and control work;

- Forest fire prevention should be prioritized, and forest fire fighting must be prompt, urgent, and effective;

- Gradually invest in enhancing the capacity for forest fire prevention and control for forest rangers;

- Develop and implement forest fire fighting plans based on the principle of four local elements. Localities should proactively organize resources and command forest fire fighting, while the central level should reinforce forces sufficiently to support key fire-prone areas and large fires beyond the control of localities;

- Forest owners must bear responsibility for protecting and preventing forest fires within the forest area assigned or leased by the State;

- Promote socialization in forest fire prevention and control work, mobilizing all social resources and economic sectors to participate in forest fire prevention and control work.

2. Contents and implementation measures

a) Propaganda and education to enhance awareness about forest fire prevention and control:

- Develop programs and content for propaganda on forest fire prevention and control through daily, weekly, and monthly special issues in mass media;

- Propagate to raise community awareness about state policies, rights, and obligations of organizations, individuals, and communities in forest fire prevention and control, and introduce the benefits of forests to human life;

- Develop rules and regulations for forest protection and forest fire prevention and control; signs prohibiting fire and warning signals for forest fire forecasts; print and distribute materials on forest fire prevention and control and legal provisions related to forest protection;

- Establish demonstration models for forest fire management, and coordinate with secondary schools and high schools to organize extracurricular activities to understand forest protection work.

b) Mechanisms and policies for forest fire prevention and control work:

- Consolidate the operation of the Central Steering Committee and forest fire prevention and control command boards at all levels on urgent issues in forest protection and fire prevention and control;

- Plan the forest fire prevention and control force from central to local levels, based on improving and consolidating the existing forest ranger force;

- Develop mechanisms for directing, managing, commanding, coordinating forest fire prevention and control forces uniformly, operational regulations, and sharing responsibilities and benefits among forest fire prevention and control forces at all levels;

- Define financial systems to ensure activities in forest fire prevention and control work;

- Develop regulations on designing fire prevention facilities in forest production and business activities;

- Develop mechanisms and policies to create conditions and encourage the participation of economic sectors, individuals, and social organizations both domestically and internationally to strengthen forest fire prevention and control work.

c) Enhancing the capacity of organizations participating in forest fire prevention and control:

- Gradually improve and form specialized forest fire prevention and control forces from central to provincial, district, and commune levels, ensuring unified management and maintaining elite forces to carry out forest fire prevention and control tasks;

- Enhance the effectiveness of management, enforcement of laws, and performance in forest protection and fire prevention and control for forestry officials from central to local levels, to proactively perform assigned tasks in new situations;

- Train to enhance management and professional skills for forestry managers and specialists to gradually organize, supervise, and implement forest fire prevention and control plans;

- Train technical and professional skills for forest fire prevention and control for specialized forces, forest owners, and community forest protection teams. Prioritize training for local and grassroots forces;

- Invest in equipment, technical facilities, and infrastructure for grassroots forest fire prevention and control forces to handle forest fires promptly when they occur.

d) Applying science and technology in forest fire prevention and control work:

- Apply information technology in forest fire management: planning, zoning fire-prone areas; forecasting and warning fire risks; early detection of forest fires; transmitting and processing information and commanding forest fire fighting; mobilizing forces and organizing forest fire fighting;

- Research and apply advanced forest fire prevention and control methods, equipment, and tools suitable for natural conditions in each region;

- Plan construction of forest fire prevention and control facilities: road systems; irrigation channels, water reservoirs, dams; lookout towers; communication systems; weather stations for fire forecasting;

- Consolidate and invest in building three national technical centers for forest protection to become research, training, and professional instruction centers for forest fire prevention and control work nationwide, and participate in rescue operations for large fires beyond the control of localities.

đ) International cooperation in forest fire prevention and control work:

- Strengthen international cooperation in the field of forest protection, fire prevention and firefighting, particularly with member countries of ASEAN implementing the Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution caused by forest fires and land fires. Specifically:

+ Cooperation in exchanging experiences and visiting research models for forest fire management;

+ Research, training, and transferring technological advancements in forest fire prevention and firefighting work;

+ Exchanging and receiving technical support and investment projects for forest fire prevention and firefighting work.

3. Investment

- Source of investment: central government budget funds.

- The total estimated investment capital is 502 billion VND, including:

+ Investment for units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development: 200 billion VND.

+ Investment for units under localities: 302 billion VND.

- Specific investment items include:

a) Investment in equipment, facilities, and infrastructure (Annex I attached to this Decision) for forest rangers to meet the needs of forest fire prevention and firefighting work;

b) Prioritize investment in forest fire prevention and firefighting for national parks, forest technology centers under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; large-scale concentrated forest areas; provinces with large forest areas, valuable forests, and high-risk forests for fires;

c) Direct investment in feasible projects to enhance the capacity of forest fire prevention and firefighting for units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Annex II attached to this Decision);

d) Targeted support investment for key provinces to implement projects to enhance the capacity of forest fire prevention and firefighting for local forest rangers (Annex III attached to this Decision), in accordance with the State Budget Law.

Implementation measures

Article 2. 1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall direct the development, approval of investment projects to enhance the capacity of forest fire prevention and firefighting for units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and guide provinces in developing investment projects to enhance the capacity of forest fire prevention and firefighting for local forest ranger units.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance shall balance funds and list specific items for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and provincial People's Committees implementing this project, reporting to the Prime Minister in the annual state budget plan.

3. The Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defense shall be responsible for coordinating in establishing operational regulations for forest fire prevention and firefighting work; arranging forces to participate in training and technical firefighting skills instruction.

4. Provincial People's Committees, municipal people's committees directly under the Central Government shall be responsible for directing the development, approval, and implementation of investment projects to enhance the capacity of forest fire prevention and firefighting for local forest ranger forces after receiving professional reviews from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Ministers of the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Planning and Investment, Finance, National Defense, Public Security, Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees, municipal people's committees directly under the Central Government, Heads of relevant agencies are responsible for enforcing this Decision.

Article 3. This Decision shall take effect from the date of signing.

The Ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development, Planning and Investment, Finance, National Defense, Public Security, the Chairpersons of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities, and the Heads of relevant agencies shall be responsible for implementing this Decision.