Waste surrounds the canal
Xuan Hoi canal is more than 1km long, running along the residential area of Xuan Hoi village (Le Thuy commune, Quang Tri province). Previously, this canal played a drainage role for the area, contributing to maintaining environmental sanitation for the residential area.
However, according to people's reflections, in recent years, the situation of waste and wastewater pouring into the canal has occurred frequently, causing the environment to become increasingly polluted.
Along the canal, garbage appears in many sections, from packaging, nylon bags, leftover food to construction waste. In some places, garbage is piled up, floating on the water surface or stuck along the bank.
Not only domestic waste, some wastewater sources from residential areas are also discharged directly into the canal. Over time, mud and garbage accumulate, hindering the flow and affecting the surrounding environment.
Ms. Le Thi Thuy, a resident of Xuan Hoi village, Le Thuy commune, said that this situation has existed for many years and shows no signs of improvement.
“There are all kinds of garbage under the canal, from packaging, garbage to chicken and duck feathers. This season is still better, but in the sunny season, walking along this road is unbearable in the stench,” Ms. Thuy said.
According to Ms. Thuy, many households in the village once organized garbage collection along the canal to reduce pollution. When local garbage collection trucks arrived, people collected it to take it for treatment. However, after only a short time, waste reappeared.
Step by step overcoming pollution
Faced with the pollution situation at the Xuan Hoi canal, local authorities and organizations in the village have repeatedly organized dredging and clearing the flow, and at the same time propagated and mobilized people not to litter into the canal. However, the pollution situation has not been thoroughly overcome.
Mr. Le The Trong, Head of the Front Work Committee of Xuan Hoi residential area, said that controlling the act of throwing garbage into the canal is very difficult, because most of the waste is dumped at night.
During the day, no one throws garbage, but at night they take it out to dump it down. There are also underground wastewater pipes discharged into the canal, and we cannot determine the source" - Mr. Trong said.
The time of most severe pollution usually falls from about March to July every year. This is the hot weather period, the amount of water in the canal decreases, garbage and mud accumulate, causing the water to change color and smell.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper on March 11, Mr. Le Van Tan - Vice Chairman of Le Thuy Commune People's Committee said that the local government has worked directly with some households that have discharged waste into the canal to remind and request remediation.
At the same time, the commune has repeatedly organized propaganda and mobilized people not to litter in the canal, as well as implemented dredging and cleaning up the flow. In the long term, the locality will report to higher levels to propose financial support for dredging and building embankments along the canal to clear the flow and limit indiscriminate littering.
Le Thuy commune has been assessed as a locality that has implemented the new rural construction program quite well in the past time. However, the pollution situation at the Xuan Hoi canal is affecting the landscape and environment of the residential area.
If the situation of littering in the canal continues, the efforts of dredging and cleaning by the government and people will hardly bring long-term results. At that time, the canal, which has the function of drainage for residential areas, will continue to become a polluting point, directly affecting the environment and people's lives.
