Chapter 19 — Floating Market Without Water

The dialogue session was set up on a floating floor, where people used to sell fruit.

There is no high stage. On one side are factory representatives, on the other side are cooperatives, in the middle are town officials, environmental departments, lawyers and households. An sits behind the recorder, Ti is in charge of the photo screen. An's mother placed a pot of porridge next to her and did not sell it but still cooked it for those attending.

Mrs. Sau spoke first. She admitted that the cooperative had received the support money, had signed the coordination rights and had kept the discharge schedule appendix unpublished. She said she used to think silence was the way to keep the market alive.

“My mistake was to turn the knowledge of a few into the peace of all,” she said.

Khai presented the highly inaccurate acceptance record. He didn't say he was innocent. He said incorrect data allowed the project to operate even though the settling tank and side gates had not been independently inspected.

“I signed a comprehensive page,” he said. “But my signature helps the whole application stand up.”

Mr. Nam opened the old drawing. He admitted that he had kept it for twenty years, not turning it in because he was afraid the signers would be pulled out, afraid that the boatyard would lose the contract, and afraid that the town would split again. He said the map was not smeared by one hand.

“Someone can fix it,” he said. “But there are also people who see it and pretend not to.”

Duy presents factory data. He said the factory had a tank cleaning schedule, hired Vinh for maintenance, and used M-07 under the old contract, but the records did not clearly indicate the auxiliary door. He admitted that the notification was incomplete and that using a common access code was wrong.

Factory lawyers objected to the term "sludge discharge". He said there are no test results to prove that the poison exceeds standards. Environmental officers confirmed so. An did not object.

“But the sample demonstrated the sludge flow through the outlet,” she said. “And the quality responsibility needs a technical conclusion.”

An's mother stood up. She said her signature on the contract was genuine, but she was not given an explanation of the coordination clause. She did not ask to have her name removed. She only requested that from now on all water-related appendices must be read in meetings with salespeople and workers.

“I don't want myself to be an excuse for others to say the people have agreed to everything,” she said.

I show a series of photos. He didn't zoom in on the face. He showed the water level, the red light, the foam, the time and the mud flow. After each photo, he left a blank box "don't know anyone".

One person asked: "So who is my photo used to accuse?"

Ti replied: "No accusations. So that no one would say there was nothing at that time."

The meeting room was silent.

Town officials announced temporary minutes: temporarily suspending operation of M-07 and M-17 for non-emergency purposes; Independent inspection of settling tanks, side doors and elevation; publicize operating logs; restore public access; Set up a sludge treatment fund to be jointly contributed by relevant units while waiting for the conclusion.

The factory did not agree to accept all costs. Cooperatives cannot stand aside either. Ms. Sau suggested dividing according to the level of use and defined responsibilities, but making a partial advance to handle residential areas.

Duy said the factory would advance money for emergency cleaning, without the condition of silence. He added that he would send all internal documents to the inspection team.

The lawyer looked at him. “Do you have authority?”

Duy replied: "I will sign within the scope I can bear."

Khai asked Vinh about the admin account. Vinh admitted that he deleted the log at the request of his superiors, but did not know that the data would be permanently deleted far. He handed over the recovery password and agreed to work with the inspection team.

No one clapped. One person being responsible does not make others innocent.

The final minutes recorded four things: restoring data, re-measuring the entire route, amending the support contract and establishing an operations council with people. The market will only open partially after water samples reach safe levels.

An reread each line before signing. She felt her hands were stained with the smell of porridge and printer ink.

Her mother said: “This time you read the last part too.”

An nodded.

At the end of the meeting, the factory gave another commitment. No one signed immediately. Ms. Sau asked to take it home and read it to each household. Duy did not object.

Before leaving the floating platform, An looked at the river. The water has risen a little after the rain, enough to push a leaf through the old stake. But the market has not yet emerged.

Khai bent down to pick up a piece of metal from the mud. Engraved back:

“THE COMMON STREAM HAS NO OWNER.”

An asked everyone to keep quiet for a minute before signing. She read the minutes from the beginning, marking sentences that were only temporary results and sentences that already had data. No one is allowed to use the word "compensation" for an inconclusive part. No one is allowed to use the word "accident" to erase the operating schedule.

The factory representative presented the plan: suspend M-07 and M-17 until renovation; Rebuild the settling tank according to its independent capacity; install a public tracking system; Reimbursement of clean water and emergency treatment costs. They did not accept full liability, but agreed not to ask people to stay silent.

Ms. Sau presented the cooperative part: publicizing the support contract, canceling the common access code, establishing an operating council, reviewing all signatures and appendices. She said the cooperative will pay the costs due to poor management, but needs support to not push poor households out of the market.

Khai presented his personal part: the acceptance record had major errors, he had signed the summary page, and he would work with the investigation team. He doesn't promise to find the person who ordered it, just promises not to delete the records he has.

Duy said his part is to bring factory data to light, including unfavorable data. The company lawyer asked if he had authority. Duy replied that he could deliver what he was allowed and testify to what he knew.

“If not allowed?” An asked.

“I would say it's not allowed.”

Let's show the last photo. He placed a photo of a valve, a photo of a tank, a photo of mud, a photo of a signature, a photo of a map, and a photo of people lining up for water next to each other. No photo is in the middle, no photo is enlarged.

A boat owner asked: "So who finally dried up the market?"

An replied: "The conclusion of specific responsibility is still pending. But we know the system has allowed water to pass through without a clear person in charge."

That person is not satisfied. “I need a name.”

"The name will be available when the check is completed. If it is written incorrectly today, tomorrow the person who is really wrong will use that mistake to escape."

An's mother stood up. She said the market can open in parts after water samples meet standards, but it cannot open just because someone needs revenue. Damaged goods are a loss, so is people's health.

The Environmental Department announced preliminary results: the sludge sample showed signs that needed further testing, but there was not enough to conclude toxicity; Water samples must continue to be monitored. The government issued a public sampling schedule.

The factory signs a record of advance payment for processing, without exclusivity clauses. The cooperative signed the management improvement section. Households sign to confirm receiving clean water and the right to know the operating schedule.

Some people still do not sign. They have the right to wait.

Duy put down the commitment. “I don't expect everyone to believe it right away.”

Ms. Sau replied: "Good. Let's do it so they don't have to believe with words."

After the meeting, An called the editor, saying the series had not ended. There are still many documents to compare. He said readers like to end quickly.

“The market doesn't grow quickly,” An said.

Khai guided the boat through the section of the channel that had been temporarily pumped with water. The boat floats, but the gauge still has to run. Ti sat at the head of the boat, holding the piece of metal in his hand.

Engraved back:

“THE COMMON STREAM HAS NO OWNER.”

And before they could get back to the dock, the council received news: the official mud sample results had been mistakenly sent to a non-existent address.

The news that the sample results were sent by mistake made the dialogue session more tense. The environmental department said the wrong version was not the official version; The factory said it didn't know who moved; The cooperative asked the laboratory to repeat the sending sequence.

An asked who had the right to send it. The officer said three people: the laboratory, the receiving unit and the person who signed the record. No one received a sent address that does not exist.

An's mother stood next to her and said that if the sample did not reach the destination, the people had to take the sample again and could not wait for an explanation.

The meeting decided to take additional samples that day. This time, people chose the location themselves, officials took it, the factory witnessed it, the cooperative recorded it, and the laboratory received it directly. Six people signed the box together.

Duy asked the factory to pay the fee. Ms. Sau agreed but asked not to choose the laboratory. An independent unit is selected by drawing lots from the qualified list.

“The lottery is not absolutely fair,” the lawyer said. “But there are processes in place to reduce the possibility of benefit selection.”

An recorded it in the minutes.

Khai brought Vinh's testimony, altitude table and maintenance log. He said he did not know who directed the deletion of the log, but took responsibility for signing the acceptance without checking.

Vinh confirmed that the admin account was used, but did not know who. He handed over the old key, access code and tool book.

Ms. Sau signed an amendment to the support contract, removing the general coordination authority and replacing it with a list of specific tasks. An's mother signed with the condition that the appendix must be read to the signer before stamping.

Duy Ky is committed to disclosing factory data within the limits of the law, and does not promise to disclose all commercial secrets. An asked if the traffic data was a trade secret. Lawyers say the environmental and community impacts must be provided to the competent authority.

The photo slideshow is not enough. You said it doesn't determine who opened the valve, but set it on time. He placed the photo next to the book, map and testimony.

A boat owner asked if someone was prosecuted in the future, would the photo be used? The officer said it depends on the assessment process.

Ti said that was enough; You don't need to do it all yourself.

The final minutes clearly state that there has been no conclusion on toxicity, no conclusion on any individual discharging sludge, but it has been determined that the system has the wrong level, the tank has reduced capacity, the M-17 door is not operating and the data is incompletely managed.

Residential treatment advance factory. Cooperatives advance money to support business households. Authorities temporarily protected the side gate area. Final costs will be divided according to the conclusion.

No one calls it the end.

Khai guided the boat through the temporary channel and measured pressure. The water has gone, but the level is not enough for the big market.

The Council received news that the official sample results were mistakenly sent to a non-existent address.

This time, no one It's allowed to say it's just a small error.