According to initial information, at about 3 pm on March 1, some trucks carried garbage from the area near the embankment to the Hon Bo bridge area, near But Pagoda, and then dumped it into large piles close to the water's edge.
Waste includes tree branches, nylon bags, construction waste and many other types of waste. Images recorded by people and tourists, spreading on social networks, have caused public outrage.
The sea is not only a natural resource but also a livelihood, a tourism brand of the locality.
Hai Tien has attracted tourists for many years thanks to its long sandy beach and airy landscape. However, just one irresponsible act can seriously damage the image of the locality.
The act of transporting and dumping garbage in the wrong place is a violation of the law on environmental protection. Although the specific amount of garbage is being verified, the use of trucks to carry garbage to the edge of the seawater to dump is a clear sign of illegal acts.
Waste, especially nylon and non-biodegradable waste, when flowing into the sea will cause water source pollution, affect the coastal ecosystem, threaten marine life and have long-term impacts on community health.
How many such trips have there been, if not detected, would this behavior continue?
The incident shows that the risk of lax management or law-abiding awareness of some individuals and organizations is still very low.
Representatives of Hoang Tien Commune People's Committee affirmed their view that they will handle it strictly according to regulations when there are verification results.
Functional agencies need to clarify the responsibilities of individuals and related units; and at the same time force the remediation of consequences, collect all waste, and restore the environmental status quo.
In parallel with that, it is necessary to review the management of waste in the area, how waste is collected, gathered, and treated; whether or not there is evasion of treatment costs by illegally dumping it into the natural environment.
Sustainable marine tourism development cannot be separated from the requirement to preserve the environment.
A clean beach does not come naturally, but requires the joint efforts of the government, businesses and each citizen.
The online community's outrage at the act of dumping garbage on Hai Tien is a legitimate reaction. But more importantly, the incident must become a strong warning, all acts of environmental violations will be detected and handled.
The sea is not a place to hide waste. The sea is a common property, a source of livelihood and the pride of the locality.
Strictly handling this case is not only to restore legal order, but also a call for people to join hands to protect the environment, protect livelihoods and tourism brands for the locality.
