The polluted Thi Vai River.

Authorities in localities affected by the illegal discharge are rushing to aid farmers so they can complete lawsuits against the MSG manufacturer before the filing deadline of September 12.

Last week, Vedan Viet Nam sent letters to local authorities, recommending an increase in the total compensation rate for all farmers in the three localities from VND25 billion (US$1.3 million) to VND130 billion ($6.84 million).

Of that total amount, VND30 billion ($1.6 million) would be given to farmers in HCM City, VND40 billion ($2 million) to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, and VND60 billion ($3 million) to Dong Nai Province.

HCM City Farmers’ Association on Monday told the city’s Party Committee that the rate should be VND45.7 billion, quoting an estimate by the Institute of Environment and Natural Resources.

Farmers in Can Gio District, the area in HCM City that was affected by the Vedan discharge, said they trusted the city’s Farmers’ Association to sue Vedan.

"If Vedan agrees to compensate us at this rate, we’ll consider a meeting for negotiation. If they don’t, there will be no out-of-court agreement," said the city Farmers’ Association chairman Nguyen Van Phung.

Also on Monday, the People’s Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to lend the province’s farmers VND2.6 billion for court fees required by the Tan Thanh District People’s Court.

In Dong Nai Province, the province’s Bar Association has helped 1,700 farmers to complete their lawsuit applications over the last three days.

Last Friday, six lawyers from the province’s Bar Association visited Long Thanh District’s Phuoc Thai Commune, home to 1,800 farmers affected by the pollution, are helping them file lawsuits against Vedan.

The filing of lawsuits followed appeals made by the Viet Nam Farmers’ Association urging provincial authorities to assist farmers.

Nguyen Lam Son of Dong Nai Province became the first farmer to sue Vedan Viet Nam after the People’s Court in the province’s Long Thanh District accepted his lawsuit application last Friday.