Decision No. 93/2003/QD-TTg Issuing the Operational Regulations of the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control

Pursuant to …;

Issuing the Regulation on the Operation of the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control

fire prevention and firefighting in forests

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PRIME MINISTER

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

Pursuant to the Law on Forest Protection and Development dated August 12, 1991;

Pursuant to the Law on Fire Prevention and Fighting dated July 12, 2001;

Pursuant to Decision No. 1157/QĐ-TTg dated December 4, 2002 of the Prime Minister establishing the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development at Circular No. 299/BNN-KL dated February 14, 2003.

DECISION:

Article 1. This Decision promulgates the Regulation on the Operation of the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control.

Article 2. This Decision shall take effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 3. The Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities, and members of the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control shall be responsible for implementing this Decision.

REGULATIONS

Activities of the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control
(Annexed to Decision No. 93/2003/QĐ-TTg dated May 12, 2003 of the Prime Minister)

Chapter 1:

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1The Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control (hereinafter referred to as the Steering Committee) was established pursuant to Decision No. 1157/QĐ-TTg dated December 4, 2002 of the Prime Minister as an advisory body assisting the Prime Minister in directing forest fire prevention and control activities nationwide.

Article 2. This Regulation stipulates the organization and operation of the Steering Committee and its members in performing the common tasks of the Steering Committee.

Article 3. Duties:

The Steering Committee has the following tasks to advise the Prime Minister in directing the strategy for forest fire prevention and control, and addressing key tasks as follows:

1. Directing relevant sectors and localities to inspect forest owners' implementation of plans, projects, and programs for forest fire prevention and control.

2. Reporting and requesting the Prime Minister to issue orders mobilizing forces and means to promptly respond to urgent situations when severe forest fires occur.

3. Directing and coordinating the cooperation between inter-sectoral forces and localities in forest fire prevention and control work and organizing the mitigation of consequences caused by forest fires.

4. Participating in coordinating with related ministries and sectors to develop policies and regulations on forest fire prevention and control such as: benefits for those directly involved in forest protection who suffer accidents, injuries, or death while performing their duties.

5. Directing localities with large forests and high risk of forest fires to organize practical and effective firefighting drills suitable in scale at the beginning of each dry season annually.

Chapter 2:

TASKS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE

Article 4. Tasks and powers of the members of the Steering Committee:

1. General tasks:

Each member of the Steering Committee is responsible for closely coordinating with the Steering Committee and the Provincial Forest Fire Prevention and Control Command; inspecting and urging forest fire prevention and control work during the fire season according to the assignment of the Chairman of the Steering Committee; and being responsible for resolving matters within their respective sectors to serve forest fire prevention and control work.

2. Specific tasks of members:

a) Chairman of the Steering Committee:

- Assisting the Prime Minister in directing, managing, and coordinating among relevant agencies in performing state management functions regarding forest fire prevention and control and mitigating consequences of forest fires.

- Chairing regular meetings every six months and extraordinary meetings of the Steering Committee.

- Assigning responsibilities to members of the Steering Committee and urging and inspecting their performance.

- Acting on behalf of the Prime Minister to decide on mobilizing forces and means from organizations and individuals to respond to urgent situations when severe forest fires occur beyond the capacity of localities to handle.

- Reporting and proposing to the Government timely measures to address major forest fires.

The Chairman of the Steering Committee is responsible for all operations of the Steering Committee.

b) Deputy Chairman in charge of the Steering Committee:

- Being responsible for the daily operations of the Steering Committee, representing the Chairman when he is absent.

- Directing the development of regulations on information and reporting systems for forest fire prevention and control work.

- Directing the preparation of national plans, programs, and projects on forest fire prevention and control; training and firefighting drill plans; external affairs and international cooperation in forest fire prevention and control.

- Organizing inspections and urging the implementation of forest fire prevention and control plans, projects, and programs, and the mitigation of consequences of forest fires by sectors and localities.

- Directing the activities of the Steering Committee Office.

- Performing other tasks assigned by the Chairman of the Steering Committee.

c) Deputy Chairmen of the Steering Committee:

- Proactively formulating work programs and performing tasks assigned by the Chairman of the Steering Committee in accordance with the functions and responsibilities of each Ministry.

- Directing, inspecting, and urging the implementation of general forest protection tasks and Circular No. 144/2002/TTLT-BNPTNT-BCA-BQP dated December 13, 2002.

- Directing, inspecting, and urging the implementation of forest fire prevention and control plans, emergency response plans; inspecting training, drills, and preparations of forces and equipment for forest fire prevention and control according to specialized state management functions.

- Directing and proactively coordinating with related sectors and localities to promptly address emergencies in forest fire prevention and control work.

d) Permanent Member of the Steering Committee, Director of the Forest Protection Department, concurrently Head of the Steering Committee Office:

Managing the daily operations of the Steering Committee Office and handling regular business of the Steering Committee.

- Preparing agendas, contents, and other conditions for meetings and activities of the Steering Committee.

- Acting on behalf of the Chairman of the Steering Committee to sign certain directives to localities and sectors in emergency firefighting situations.

e) Members of the Steering Committee:

Performing tasks assigned by the Chairman of the Steering Committee.

Chapter 3:

ORGANIZATION AND TASKS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE OFFICE

Article 5. The Steering Committee Office (hereinafter referred to as the Office).

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development issues a decision to establish the Office of the Steering Committee and specifies its specific functions and tasks based on utilizing the organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on a part-time basis (without increasing the staffing quota).

1. The Director of the Office shall be responsible before the Chairman of the Steering Committee for all activities of the Office.

Assisting the Director of the Office is one Deputy Director and some officers from the Forest Protection Department, and when necessary, officers may be mobilized from the Forestry Development Department, the Forest Science Institute, the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute, and the University of Forestry.

2. The Office operates on a part-time basis, using officers within the staffing quota of the units from which officers are mobilized. The operating budget of the Office is allocated annually from the financial resources for forest protection managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and assigned to the Forest Protection Department as the main account holder.

Article 6.Duties and powers of the Office:

- Organizing the coordination and implementation of the tasks of the Steering Committee.

- Continuously monitoring and compiling information on fire prevention and firefighting work.

- Advising the Steering Committee on management and coordination of proactive measures to prevent and respond to severe weather conditions that could lead to forest fires, ensuring timely and effective handling of large-scale forest fires.

- Preparing content and programs for meetings, conferences, and seminars of the Steering Committee and reports as required by the Chairman of the Steering Committee.

- Organizing duty shifts to monitor fire prevention and firefighting situations during the dry season months; inspecting and urging localities and forest management units regarding their fire prevention and firefighting work.

- Organizing information dissemination and propaganda on fire prevention and firefighting work; coordinating with related units to forecast forest fire risks and early detection of forest fires nationwide.

- Serving as the liaison point for cooperation with international organizations in fire prevention and firefighting activities in Vietnam.

Chapter 4:

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 7. This regulation applies to the Central Steering Committee for Fire Prevention and Fighting and relevant ministries, sectors, and localities.

Article 8. In the course of implementation, if there are any difficulties, the Central Steering Committee for Fire Prevention and Fighting shall compile opinions and submit them to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision.