Pollution surrounded by unfinished projects
According to Lao Dong reporter in November 2025, the project area next to lane 44 Tu Dinh street, Long Bien ward (Hanoi) still has about 300m of open ditches that have not been constructed with sewers.
Wastewater and household waste are dumped directly into the stagnant ditch, turning this area into a polluted "hot spot" in the middle of a crowded residential area. Nearly 80 households living along the ditch have to endure the strong stench every day.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai - Head of Residential Group No. 27, Long Bien Ward - said: "This ditch has been polluted for a long time. In 2016, the renovation project was approved. But it is not yet complete. The ditch contains all the waste of the locality, in these families flowing out, the large market also flows out. Since that year, the ditch has not been completed, the ditch is heavily polluted, seriously affecting people's health".
According to Ms. Mai, for many years, the unfinished project and polluted environment have been reported by people at meetings and meetings with voters of the ward and city but have not been completely resolved.
Sharing with reporters, Mr. Dinh Ngoc Tuoc (69 years old, Residential Group No. 7, Long Bien Ward) expressed his frustration at the fact that the project has not been completed for decades, causing insecurity for people's lives.
"I don't know why the units couldn't complete this ditch. This is an environmental pollution outlet. People are sick, mosquitoes get burned, and dengue fever also comes from here. But I have had a project for a long time and I cannot do it," Mr. Tuoc expressed.
The project was approved more than 10 years ago
The project to renovate the sewer system connecting Vuc Lake, Dau Bang Lake and Tu Dinh Lake (Long Bien Ward, Hanoi) was assigned by the Hanoi People's Committee to the New House Trading Joint Stock Company (La Vong Group) to implement. The project was approved by the Prime Minister in Notice No. 88/TB-VPCP dated March 25, 2010.
The project was approved for a Feasibility Study Report under the form of a BT contract in Decision No. 580/QD-UBND dated February 2, 2016.
On that basis, in 2016, the People's Committee of Long Bien District (old) signed a BT Contract with the New House Trading Joint Stock Company.
At that time, the project was invested synchronously including the following items:
Construct a system of reinforced concrete drainage boxes connecting Dau Bang Lake, Vuc Lake and Tu Dinh Lake in Bo De Ward and Long Bien Ward, Long Bien District, with a length of 1,855m in the planned route. Returning the site on the sewers and completing the technical infrastructure system; burying the medium-voltage power line through the project area.
Build a system of trees, lawns, walking paths, and sports fields within the renovated boundary above the sewers to serve the needs of local residents.
In particular, the sewer line passing through the Long Bien ward residential area will be arranged with a traffic route to serve residents on both sides of the road.
The total investment of the project is about 610.834 billion VND. Some main costs include: compensation for site clearance and resettlement costs: VND 114.4 billion; construction costs: VND 389.1 billion; interest during the construction period: VND 33.7 billion; contingency costs: VND 52.4 billion. The construction period of the route (expected): 18 months (from October 2016 to March 2018).
At that time, the project to invest in renovating and constructing a sewer system connecting Vuc Lake, Dau Bang Lake and Tu Dinh Lake, Long Bien District, proposed by the New House Joint Stock Company, was assessed as a project that plays an important role in taking advantage of social resources to synchronously complete the urban technical infrastructure system according to the approved planning of Long Bien in particular and Hanoi City in general.
The project will solve the problem of drainage of rainwater and wastewater for the entire southern Long Bien area; create a landscape environment, improve people's lives; improve land use efficiency to serve local socio-economic development.
In order to clarify when this project will be completed and related legal issues, on November 19, a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper directly went to Long Bien Ward People's Committee to send specific working documents and questions. On November 20, the reporter also sent a letter of introduction and questions to the New House Trading Joint Stock Company (La Vong Group).
The reporter continued to contact Mr. Le Van Vong, Chairman of La Vong Group by phone on December 2. However, Lao Dong Newspaper reporters have not received a response from La Vong Group.
The reporter repeatedly contacted Mr. Hoang Hai, Chairman of the People's Committee of Long Bien Ward. On December 2, Mr. Hoang Hai said he had grasped the issue and directed the specialized agency to respond.
