Leaders of the State-owned Ha Noi Liquor JSC and March 8 Textile Co made the statement at a meeting with the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment last Wednesday.

The relocation project had been approved two years ago and 15ha of land had been rented in Yen Phong Industrial Zone in Bac Ninh province, 30km northeast of the capital, said Ha Noi Liquor JSC’s director Ho Van Hai.

All production lines and machines had already been moved to the new location and operations had resumed at about 80 per cent capacity. As planned, all elements of the VND755 billion (USD42 million) project would be carried out, and the company would resume full operations, Hai said.

March 8 Textile Company’s vice director Tran Chi Binh said most facilities had been moved to Pho Noi B Industrial Zone in Hung Yen province, 28km east of the capital.

The company would finish the construction of its new location by next year and get ready to move in by 2011, he said, adding the facilities had had their production capacity reduced to decrease environmental pollution.

The businesses’ leaders have asked the authority to create favourable conditions, including asking for a 25 per cent tax exemption on the VND270 billion (USD15 million) sum given to support relocation and the simplification of legal procedures on land usage.

These businesses were required to relocate after being fined several times for releasing untreated wastewater into the environment.