The ditch is black and scum-filled.
Recently, voters of Hai An district continued to petition the Hai Phong City People's Council about the An Kim Hai canal system from Dong Hai 2 Primary School in Dong Hai 2 ward to Nam Dong culvert in Nam Hai ward (about 1,500m long) being seriously polluted.
On the morning of November 28, Lao Dong reporters noted that the entire section of the canal from Dong Hai 2 Primary and Secondary School to Nam Dong culvert was pitch black and had a strong stench. The first section of the canal near Dong Hai 2 Primary and Secondary School and a section of the canal running through Ha Doan 4 residential group had a scum on the water surface.
Ms. Vu Thi Kim, a resident of Ha Doan 4 residential group, said that the canal has been polluted for decades. Authorities have dredged, measured, and inspected it many times, but have not been able to fix much of it. The foul smell of the canal all year round affects the health and daily life of local households.
“We have repeatedly petitioned the district and city about this situation, but it has not been thoroughly resolved. People hope that the city will pay attention to allocating capital to invest in building a box culvert system at the two locations above, contributing to ensuring a clean environment for people living in this area,” said Mr. Bao, a resident of Ha Doan 3 Residential Group.
Hardening of open ditches
In response to the voters' petition, the Hai Phong City People's Committee has issued a written response. Accordingly, the Hai Phong City People's Committee has directed the Department of Construction and the Department of Transport to coordinate in implementing the project. Accordingly, for the ditch section from Dong Hai 2 Primary and Secondary School to Nam Dong culvert (divided into 2 sections, the section from Dong Hai 2 Secondary School to Hang Tong intersection is about 630m long and the remaining section from Hang Tong intersection to Nam Dong culvert is about 870m long), the Department of Transport is organizing research to implement the project to build a 100m road from Lach Tray - Ho Dong, including a plan to harden the ditch section from Dong Hai 2 Primary and Secondary School to the Hang Tong intersection area with a length of about 630m - project preparation time is 2024 - 2025, expected implementation period is 2026-2028.
For the remaining ditch section (the remaining section from Hang Tong intersection to Nam Dong culvert 870m), there is currently no project to study the plan to harden this ditch section. To ensure the environment, the Department of Construction regularly dredges mud and collects waste along the ditch. The plan to harden this ditch section will be specifically studied during the process of Hai An District People's Committee organizing the adjustment of the 1/2,000 scale zoning plan of the district (expected to be approved in the first quarter of 2025) according to the city's master plan until 2040, with a vision to 2050. Immediately after completing the plan, the City People's Committee will direct relevant departments, branches and units to study and implement projects to ensure the environmental landscape of this area as soon as possible.
