MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF VIETNAM | SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM |
No. 12/2023/TT-BKHCN | Hanoi, June 30, 2023 |
Pursuant to the Law on Atomic Energy dated June 3, 2008;
Pursuant to Decree No. 07/2010/ND-CP dated January 25, 2010 of the Government of Vietnam elaborating and guiding the implementation of the Law on Atomic Energy;
Pursuant to Decree No. 28/2023/ND-CP dated June 2, 2023 of the Government of Vietnam on functions, tasks, entitlements, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam;
Pursuant to Decree No. 142/2020/ND-CP dated December 9, 2020 of the Government of Vietnam on the implementation of radiation-related affairs and provision of auxiliary services for atomic energy application;
At the request of the Director of the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety and the Director of Legal Affairs;
The Minister of Science and Technology of Vietnam hereby promulgates the Circular on preparation and responses to radiological and nuclear emergencies and approval of plans for responses to radiological and nuclear emergencies.
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Article 1. Scope and regulated entities
1. This Circular provides for:
a) Preparation of responses and responses to radiological and nuclear emergencies at the grassroots level and provincial level;
b) Preparation and approval of plans for responses to provincial radiological and nuclear emergencies.
2. This Circular applies to:
a) Organizations and individuals participating in the preparation and responses to radiological and nuclear emergencies;
b) Agencies competent to approve plans for responses to radiological and nuclear emergencies.
Article 2. Interpretation of terms
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2. Protective actions refer to acts of minimizing irradiation, avoiding or preventing irradiation caused by emergencies.
3. Threat category refers to facilities, radiation sources, radiological equipment, nuclear equipment, activities that can potentially cause emergencies, and areas affected by the emergencies with the same scale of damage.
4. Warning levels indicate the severity or urgency of a situation occurring or to be occurring.
5. General criteria levels mean the expected radiation dose or absorbed radiation dose that requires equivalent protective actions.
6. Emergency response force refers to the main force participating in the preparation and responses to emergencies.
7. Initial response team refers to members of the emergency response force responsible for providing initial responses at the scene.
8. Deterministic effects mean biological impacts to humans caused by radiation, occurring when absorbing radiation doses exceeding a threshold. The severity of the effect is corresponding to the intensity of the radiation dose. Several symptoms of deterministic effects are vomiting, skin burns, gangrene, and fatality.
9. Stochastic effects mean biological impacts to humans caused by radiation and the occurrence of effects increases with radiation doses. The severity of the effect is independent of absorbed doses. Symptoms of stochastic effects are leukocyte and cancer.
10. Precautionary action zone (PAZ) refers to the whole area around the facility where urgent protective action has been pre-planned and will be implemented to reduce the risks of deterministic effects for the public outside of the facility.
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12. Extended planning distance (EPD) refers to the area around the facility where a monitoring plan is required after notifications of a C-level Warning (general emergency) to determine areas that need responsive actions from outside of the facility when radiation is released to reduce stochastic effects for the public.
13. Ingestion and commodities planning distance (ICPD) refers to the area around the facility where responsive actions must be planned after notifications of a C-level Warning (general emergency) to reduce risks of stochastic effects for the public and minimize non-radioactive consequences caused by the distribution and consumption of food, drinks, and other goods potentially contaminated with radiation due to radiation released from the facility upon emergencies.
Article 3. Principles and requirements for the preparation and responses to emergencies
1. Preparation and responses to emergencies shall comply with the following principles:
a) Benefits from protective actions must outweigh the damage of such actions;
b) Methods, scale, and application time of proactive actions must be optimal to achieve maximum benefits;
c) Developed plans to respond to emergencies must be promptly implemented, managed, controlled, and cooperated synchronously and effectively from the grassroots level to provincial and national levels;
d) The assignment of responsibility between participating organizations and individuals must be clear and evident; directives on responses to emergencies must follow the concentrated uniformity principle;
dd) Preparation and responses to radiological and nuclear emergencies must be in sync with preparation and responses to other emergencies.
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a) Be able to control the development of the emergency, reducing the severity of the consequences;
b) Protect human lives;
c) Prevent or reduce severe deterministic effects;
d) Provide initial aid and treatment for victims;
dd) Minimize risks of stochastic effects;
e) Provide information and ensure the faith of the public;
g) Provide the maximum prevention of the possibility of non-radioactive consequences for individuals and the public;
h) Minimize damage to assets and the environment;
i) Facilitate long-term emergency remedies and the development of plans to bring economic and social activities to their normal state.
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1. Threat categories are the basis for the preparation of responses and responsive actions. There are 5 categories (I, II, III, IV, and V) prescribed in Appendix I enclosed hereof.
2. Organizations and individuals participating in responses to emergencies shall, based on general criteria levels, perform corresponding protective actions. General criteria levels are prescribed in Appendix II enclosed hereof.
3. Warning levels are the basis for mobilizing resources to perform responsive actions. Warning levels are prescribed in Appendix III enclosed hereof.
1. Heads of organizations and individuals licensed to perform radiological work prescribed in Article 18 of the Law on Energy (hereinafter referred to as “heads of facilities”) shall be in charge of the preparation and responses to emergencies at facilities.
2. Organizations and individuals developing plans to respond to emergencies according to Clause 5 Article 83 of the Law on Atomic Energy shall:
a) Prepare plans to respond to emergencies and present them to competent agencies for approval;
b) Establish a Commanding Committee for Responses to Emergencies or integrate such Committee to the Commanding Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue at the equivalent level, ensuring the adequate performance of responsibilities prescribed in Article 5 hereof (hereinafter referred to as “Commanding Committees”);
c) Develop personnel, equipment, and necessary infrastructure and invest in devices (according to Appendix V enclosed hereof) for the preparation and responses to emergencies in conformity with specific conditions; organize annual emergency response drills;
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4. Heads of Commanding Committees shall:
a) Assign responsibilities and direct the implementation of specific tasks to members;
b) Notify emergencies, initiate and terminate emergency responses;
c) Direct and mobilized forces participating in responses to emergencies; direct the implementation of protective actions with counseling from assigned organizations and individuals according to approved plans to respond to emergencies;
d) Appoint or designate leaders at the scene in conformity with specific situations;
dd) Summarize and assess emergency situations and report them to competent agencies;
e) Assign or designate representatives providing information for the public as prescribed by laws;
g) When there are changes affecting the implementation of plans to respond to emergencies, update or supplement plans to respond to emergencies and notify competent agencies of such changes for approval.
5. Provincial and grassroots-level Commanding Committees (Commanding Committees at various levels) shall:
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b) Establish initial response teams at the scene;
c) Organize responses to emergencies as prescribed in plans to respond to emergencies;
d) Organize annual emergency response drills.
6. Emergency response leaders at the scene shall:
a) Mobilize resources and direct forces participating in responses to emergencies at the scene;
b) Be the focal point for receiving, handling, and providing information at the scene;
c) Comply with directives of Heads of Commanding Committees.
7. Radiological and nuclear safety agencies shall:
a) Develop capacity, cooperate in receiving and handling information on emergencies 24/7; participate in supporting responses to emergencies according to their competency;
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Article 6. Emergency response centers
1. Facilities included in emergency response preparation groups I and II shall establish their emergency response centers physically separated from their control rooms. Emergency response centers shall have sufficient devices to exchange information with the control rooms, organizations, and response forces at various levels, monitor radiological information, and be equipped for radiation protection.
2. Emergency response centers outside of facilities included in threat categories I and II shall be developed and equipped with sufficient necessary responsive devices and equipment, ensuring safety. Headquarters of emergency response centers outside of facilities and initial response forces shall be developed and maintained according to national plans to respond to emergencies.
PREPARATION AND RESPONSES TO EMERGENCIES
Section 1. REQUIREMENTS FOR PREPARATION
Article 7. Organization and management in preparation
1. Facilities included in threat categories I, II, and III shall stipulate the transition from a normal working state to an emergency state, ensuring that their safety and order are not decreased.
2. Facilities included in threat categories I and II and competent agencies in areas included in threat category V shall develop schemes to cooperate with relevant organizations and individuals in UPZ, PAZ, EPD, and ICPD in responses to emergencies. The sizes of UPZ, PAZ, EPD, and ICPD are prescribed in Appendix IV enclosed hereof.
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1. Commanding Committees at various levels shall:
a) Issue procedures for receiving and handling information on emergencies 24/7, including recommendations for measures to respond and assistance work;
b) Provide training for initial response teams for them to be able to identify signs of radiation warnings and issue timely and appropriate notifications before the occurrence of emergencies.
2. Commanding Committees at various levels shall, based on the warning levels prescribed in Appendix III enclosed hereof, establish systems of notifications and initiation of responses to emergencies in accordance with the laws.
Article 9. Preparation for minimization of consequences
1. Commanding Committees at various levels shall:
a) Develop technical counseling measures and provide resources to protect persons participating in responses to emergencies from radiation;
b) Provide training for emergency response forces in measures to minimize potential consequences of emergencies and protect employees and the public around the area of emergency.
2. Facilities using radioactive sources included in Groups 1 and 2 according to the National Technical Regulation on Radiation Protection - Categorization and Classification of Radioactive Sources (QCVN 6:2010/BKHCN) shall establish relations and methods to promptly contact organizations and individuals capable of supporting responses to emergencies prescribed in plans to respond to emergencies.
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a) Prevent the escalation of the emergencies;
b) Bring the facilities back to a safe state;
c) Reduce the potential for releasing radiation;
d) Reduce risks of irradiation.
Article 10. Preparation for urgent proactive actions
1. Commanding Committee at various levels shall provide notifications for initial response teams for them to be ready to perform measures to rescue humans and prevent the effects of radioactive substances potentially existing at the scene.
2. Facilities included in threat categories I and II shall be prepared to decide and perform urgent protective actions within their premises, including:
a) Describing the characteristics of areas of urgent responses (UPZ for facilities included in threat category I and PAZ for facilities included in threat categories I and II);
b) Send proposals for the implementation of urgent protective actions outside of their facilities to competent agencies prescribed in plans to respond to provincial emergencies based on the warning levels, actual conditions, and situations around their facilities;
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a) Provide notifications of emergencies throughout their facilities;
b) Make statistical reports on every individual in their facilities;
c) Identify and search for missing individuals;
d) Perform urgent protective actions;
dd) Provide timely first aid.
4. Provincial Commanding Committees where there are PAZ and UPZ shall prepare and cooperate with other response forces in performing urgent protective actions outside of their facilities, including:
a) Protection of response employees;
b) Provision of notifications for the public in PAZ and UPZ;
c) Performance of urgent protective actions;
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dd) Requirements for restricted consumption of food in areas affected by radiation;
e) Provision of radiation monitoring, radioactive decontamination, and care for evacuees;
g) Control of entry and exit of areas with evacuees.
Article 11. Preparation for information provision
1. Facilities included in threat categories I and II shall be prepared to provide information on emergencies for provincial focal points for information receipt. Agencies competent to handle threat category V shall be prepared to provide information on emergencies for national focal points for information receipt. The information includes:
a) The nature and dangerous situation of the emergency;
b) Warning and notifying methods and actions that the people must perform upon the emergency.
2. Facilities included in threat categories I and II and agencies competent to handle threat category V shall proactively grasp and update residential situations in areas potentially affected to prepare schemes to provide timely notifications and guidelines in case of C-level emergencies.
3. Commanding Committees at various levels shall:
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b) Prepare sources to ensure the information provision;
c) Develop measures to counsel and support the public, provide timely explanations for health risks, and counseling for the public regarding protective actions that must be performed and avoided to minimize the consequences.
Article 12. Preparation for warning level assessment
1. Facilities included in threat categories I, II, and III shall prepare personnel, devices, equipment, and procedures for the assessment of:
a) Abnormal conditions in their facilities;
b) Cases of irradiation or radiation release;
c) Radiological situations inside and outside their facilities;
d) Cases of potential irradiation and actual irradiation.
2. Facilities included in emergency response preparation groups I and II, competent agencies in areas included threat category V, and Commanding Committees at various levels shall prepare:
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b) Trained personnel and devices to implement regulations prescribed in Point a of this Clause;
c) Archive of information related to the assessment of warning levels serving responses to emergencies.
3. Facilities included in threat categories IV shall prepare to:
a) Determine the scale and severity of abnormal irradiation or radiation contamination;
b) Determine the number of persons potentially exposed to irradiation;
c) Provide notifications of warning levels and proposals for measures to minimize consequences and protective actions in emergency areas for competent agencies.
Article 13. Preparation for health care
1. Forces participating in healthcare responses must be trained in:
a) Radiological safety;
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c) Procedures for notifying and providing first aid and treatment for victims in emergencies.
2. Facilities included in threat categories I, II, and III shall be prepared to provide treatment for employees exposed to irradiation overdose or radiation contamination, including first aid, dose assessment, transport, and initial medical treatment.
3. Regarding UPZ and PAZ of facilities included in threat category I, Commanding Committees at various levels shall develop plans to categorize and transfer persons exposed to high-dose irradiation to specialized hospitals.
4. Healthcare organizations prescribed in plans to respond to emergencies shall:
a) Prepare personnel and emergency and treatment devices;
b) Prepare treatment regimens for early diagnosis and treatment of radioactive diseases;
c) Consult with other specialized organizations about severe damage affecting the health and life of response employees and the public.
Article 14. Preparation for the control of food and long-term protection
1. Commanding Committees at areas included in threat categories IV and V shall develop measures to develop agricultural production and control the distribution and consumption of food in areas contaminated with radiation.
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3. Provincial Commanding Committees shall prepare temporary plans to handle persons in areas affected by radiation exceeding general criteria levels; perform radiation monitoring on people, assets, and equipment transported in and out of areas contaminated with radiation.
Article 15. Preparation for termination of actions of environmental protection and restoration
1. Commanding Committees at various levels shall prepare plans to terminate responses to emergencies, including the development of criteria for terminating protective actions based on radiological safety conditions at the scene.
2. Commanding Committees at various levels shall prepare environmental restoration plans, including:
a) Responsibilities of relevant agencies and organizations;
b) Provision of information and assessment of radioactive and non-radioactive consequences;
c) Measures to ensure radiological safety and control occupational and public irradiation.
Section 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR RESPONSES TO EMERGENCIES
Article 16. Organization and management of responses to emergencies
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1. Ensure synchronous cooperation between organizations and individuals participating in responses to emergencies inside and outside of facilities.
2. Assess necessary information to issue decisions on the mobilization of sources during emergencies.
1. Upon receiving information on emergencies, focal points for information receipt and handling at various levels shall confirm the emergencies, determine warning levels, and provide notifications for equivalent Commanding Committees for consideration for the initiation of responses to emergencies.
2. The time for confirming emergencies, providing notifications, and initiating response systems is prescribed in Appendix VI enclosed hereof.
Article 18. Implementation of measures to minimize consequences
1. Initial response teams shall, based on actual situations and general criteria levels, perform appropriate responsive measures to minimize consequences caused by threat category IV.
2. Facilities included in threat categories I, II, III, and IV shall promptly perform appropriate responsive measures to minimize consequences of emergencies.
3. Sources that support responses to emergencies at various levels, including technical equipment, contact information, preventive medicines, evacuation locations, and other supplies, must meet the requirements for support for responses to emergencies regarding facilities and emergencies included in threat categories I, II, and III.
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Organizations and individuals participating in responses to emergencies shall:
1. Prioritize the implementation of appropriate measures to rescue humans.
2. Implement urgent protective actions following Appendix II enclosed hereof.
3. Change protective actions in accordance with the development of emergencies.
4. Terminate protective actions when they are no longer relevant.
Article 20. Provision of information and guidelines for the public
Commanding Committees at various levels shall:
1. Provide timely warnings and guidelines on protective actions for the public within their jurisdiction based on the warning levels, specific conditions, and monitoring data at the scene.
2. Provide information timely, accurately, and evidently to limit the spread of false information.
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Organizations and individuals participating in the preparation and responses to emergencies shall perform measures to protect employees and control doses following developed procedures in plans to respond to emergency and Circular No. 19/2012/TT-BKHCN.
Article 22. Assessment of warning levels
Organizations and individuals assigned to assess warning levels shall:
1. Determine the warning levels following Appendix III enclosed hereof according to the severity and potential consequences of the emergencies.
2. Perform radiation monitoring and analyze environmental samples for timely hazard identification and adjustments to responsive measures.
3. Provide information on emergencies and propose appropriate protective actions.
Article 23. Healthcare responses
1. If organizations and individuals detect symptoms of diseases caused by radiation, they shall notify focal points for information receipt.
2. Healthcare organizations shall perform initial first aid and provide notifications for focal points for information receipt when detecting symptoms of diseases caused by radiation.
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Article 24. Control of food and long-term protection
1. Provincial Commanding Committees shall perform measures to protect agriculture production and control the distribution and consumption of food following Appendix II enclosed hereof.
2. Commanding Committees at various levels shall organize the management of radioactive waste caused by emergencies.
1. Commanding Committees at various levels shall:
a) Determine the time and notify the termination of protective actions;
b) Assess the level of emergencies following Clause 3 Article 82 of the Law on Atomic Energy and provide notifications of the public within their jurisdiction;
c) Organize the assessment of occupational irradiation doses for employees engaging in environmental restoration.
2. Commanding Committees shall decide to terminate environmental restoration process when the following conditions are met:
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b) Measures to restore the environment have been applied to reduce the potential effective dose.
PREPARATION AND APPROVAL OF PLANS TO RESPOND TO PROVINCIAL EMERGENCIES
Article 26. Plans to respond to provincial emergencies
A plan to respond to a provincial emergency is structured as follows:
1. General provisions:
a) Provide the scope and regulated entities in the plan;
b) Provide interpretation of terms used in the plan;
c) Provide information related to the list, addresses, and phone numbers of organizations and individuals participating in responses to the emergency and supporting organizations and individuals;
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2. Legal grounds to prepare plans to respond to emergencies:
Present lists of relevant legislative documents promulgated by competent state agencies at central or local levels and cite the main contents of such documents.
3. Analysis of risks that can potentially cause emergencies in provinces:
a) Analyze risks, situations, and consequences caused by emergencies based on threat categories prescribed in Appendix I enclosed hereof;
b) Analyze risks related to insecurity for radioactive sources in provinces.
4. Organizational structure and responsibilities of organizations and individuals participating in responses to emergencies:
a) Evidently stipulate their organizational structure and present their organizational diagrams of responses to emergencies;
b) Elaborate on the responsibilities of each organization and individual based on requirements for the preparation and responses to emergencies: structure and composition of Commanding Committees; responsibilities of each member of Commanding Committees; responsibilities of Heads of Commanding Committees; responsibilities of participating organizations and supporting organizations.
Responsibilities of organizations and individuals participating in responses to emergencies must concretize the corresponding requirements specified in Section 1 Chapter II hereof.
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a) Apply principles prescribed in Article 3 hereof;
b) Develop an operating mechanism during emergency response;
c) Develop schemes to mobilize personnel and devices to provide responses appropriate to the warning levels;
d) Establish stages of basic responses including contents in the guidelines prescribed in Appendix VII enclosed hereof;
dd) Develop methods and contents of notifications of information related to responses to emergencies for organizations participating in responses to emergencies and mass media during responses to emergencies following the guidelines prescribed in Appendix VIII enclosed hereof;
e) Develop regulations on notifying, supporting, and requesting support from other relevant local authorities during responses to emergencies.
6. Appendix:
a) List and detailed contact addresses of Commanding Committees and organizations and individuals participating in responses to emergencies;
b) Documents serving responses to emergencies such as forms of notifications and receipt of information; determination of warning levels and levels of response force mobilization; mobilization and appointment of leaders at the scene;
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d) Develop procedures for issuing decisions on termination of responsive actions and objectives to be achieved when developing long-term restoration plans based on regulations on environmental restoration prescribed in Article 25 hereof;
dd) Develop scripts and procedures for responding to specific situations on the basis of analyzing risks of emergencies in provinces;
e) Develop forms of reports;
g) Develop logs of responses to emergencies
Article 27. Approval of plans to respond to provincial emergencies
1. Documents for requesting approval:
a) Official dispatches requesting approval;
b) 4 copies of plans to respond to provincial emergencies prepared with the structure and contents in compliance with Article 26 hereof, signed and sealed by competent authorities, and imprinted with overlapping seals with hardcover pages.
2. Agencies competent to approve plans to respond to provincial emergencies are specified in Clause 5 Article 83 of the Law on Atomic Energy.
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a) Provincial People’s Committees requesting approval of plans to respond to provincial emergencies shall submit a dossier as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article to the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam. Within 10 working days after receiving adequate documents, the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam shall establish Councils for appraisal of plans to respond to provincial emergencies;
b) Within 60 days after receiving appraisal results from Appraisal Councils, the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam shall issue decisions on the approval of plans to respond to provincial emergencies. In case of refusal, it shall provide explanations and answers in writing.
Article 28. Transitional provision
1. Plans to respond to emergencies approved under Circular No. 25/2014/TT-BKHCN are not subject to re-approval procedures.
2. Plans to respond to emergencies that are not approved before this Circular comes into force must comply with this Circular.
Article 29. Entry into force and implementation responsibilities
1. This Circular comes into force as of August 18, 2023.
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3. Difficulties that arise during the implementation of this Circular should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam for appropriate amendments./.
PP. MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER
Le Xuan Dinh
File gốc của Circular No. 12/2023/TT-BKHCN dated June 30, 2023 on preparation and response to radiological and nuclear emergencies and approval of plans for responses to radiological and nuclear emergencies đang được cập nhật.
Circular No. 12/2023/TT-BKHCN dated June 30, 2023 on preparation and response to radiological and nuclear emergencies and approval of plans for responses to radiological and nuclear emergencies
Tóm tắt
Cơ quan ban hành | Bộ Khoa học và Công nghệ |
Số hiệu | 12/2023/TT-BKHCN |
Loại văn bản | Thông tư |
Người ký | Lê Xuân Định |
Ngày ban hành | 2023-06-30 |
Ngày hiệu lực | 2023-08-18 |
Lĩnh vực | Tài nguyên - Môi trường |
Tình trạng | Còn hiệu lực |