Closed doors" because of the polluted river
Living near the Cau Bay River, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoan (Long Bien, Hanoi) said that the pollution of the river in the past time has significantly affected the family's lives.
Ms. Hoan said that in the past, the Cau Bay River used to be a water source for agricultural production of people in the area. The river water at that time was still relatively clear, and could be used to irrigate crops. However, over time, the river gradually changed color, and a foul odor appeared, especially on hot sunny days.
Not only Ms. Hoan's family, but many other households living along the Cau Bay River are also heavily affected by the pollution of this river.
Mr. Nguyen Duc Long (Long Bien, Hanoi) said that this river has been polluted for more than 10 years. Domestic waste floats on the river surface, at times congested along both banks of the river, both unsightly and causing unpleasant odors.
According to Lao Dong's records, many sections of the Cau Bay River are falling into a state of severe pollution. River water is dark black, the surface has many floating domestic waste, from nylon bags, plastic bottles to other types of waste, causing unsightliness in the area.
At the river section flowing through Long Bien ward, the water no longer has its natural color, and a clear odor appears. Households around this area are closed all day to limit odors from entering their houses.
Developing a master plan on river basin wastewater collection and treatment
According to the Hanoi Department of Construction, the Cau Bay River is about 12.9km long. Regarding the collection and treatment of wastewater in the river basin, the area has been invested in building and putting into operation Viet Hung Wastewater Treatment Plant and Gia Lam Urban Area Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Investment projects being implemented are the Wastewater Collection System Project for LB2, LB3 basins (old Long Bien district) and Phuc Dong, An Lac Wastewater Treatment Plant (currently appraising pre-feasibility study reports in the form of public-private partnership - PPP).
Regarding the Phuc Dong and An Lac Wastewater Treatment Plant projects, according to the Department of Construction, in case the investor does not meet the conditions for appraisal (4th time), it is proposed that the City People's Committee stop research and implementation in the form of PPP and switch to investment in the form of public investment (included in the list of green lanes) for resolution.
For the remaining wastewater treatment plants according to the plan, Ngoc Thuy, Dong Du, Phu Thi, investment has not been assigned yet.
To soon start construction projects to build wastewater treatment systems in the Cau Bay river basin, the Department of Construction proposed that the city soon assign investors to carry out project procedures, start construction, and accelerate the progress of overcoming river basin environmental pollution.
Recently, in the process of directly inspecting the treatment of environmental pollution of the Cau Bay River, the section flowing through Long Bien ward, Politburo member, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Duy Ngoc emphasized that the handling of bottlenecks in the Capital, including bottlenecks in environmental pollution, is very urgent, requiring urgent and drastic involvement, doing it to the end, people can see the results, resolutely not to let it become more complicated.
Paying special attention to the current situation of the Cau Bay River, especially the work of ensuring environmental sanitation and drainage, Secretary of the City Party Committee Nguyen Duy Ngoc requested relevant departments, branches, and localities to soon review and study the development of a master plan on wastewater collection and treatment in the river basin from the perspective of calculating all works within the overall environmental protection and drainage work of the Cau Bay River.
Works and projects in the river basin must be invested synchronously, strictly complying with the overall project on environmental pollution treatment, ensuring drainage of the river.
Mr. Ngoc directed departments, branches, and localities that, in the process of handling, must be placed in the overall context to ensure fundamental, sustainable, and long-term. Agencies, units, and localities that have been assigned full authority to perform tasks must find every way to solve the work well, the process of handling bottlenecks and all obstacles must be focused on effective handling, resolutely not backing down and not allowing further complications.
