People to access to information on air pollution levels

Chairman of the Ha Noi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung

Chairman Chung made the point on November 24 at a scientific workshop on environmental protection in Ha Noi in a new period with a vision towards 2025.

According to Chairman Chung, over 7.5 million people in Ha Noi daily discharged around 8,000-10,000 tons of garbage on average of which around 5% were buried. Urban areas failed to collect all wastes. Over 80% of garbage in rural areas were collected for treatment.

The Chairman also raised an alarming rate of groundwater pollution. So far, over 90% of urban residents accessed to clean water. Sanitary water standards were applied in rural areas.

Specifically, the local authorities invited a large number of scientists to analyze contamination levels of groundwater. Test results showed that in some areas groundwater pollution was 3040 times higher than safe level particularly at pounds and lakes.

In addition, in Ha Noi, 266 out of 1,350 craft villages are suffering from serious environmental pollution. Since December, 2015, the local authorities have called on social engagement to pilot three craft villages with modern technologies on clean water and construction of waste water treatment factories.

Only 17-18% of life waste water were treated. The local authorities have strived for 85% of waste water treatment by 2020.

Local top leaders were determined to planting 200,000 new trees each year to convert Ha Noi into a city of a million trees in the next four years.

In addition, the Capital City has mechanized sewage collection work with a view to minimizing air pollution. By 2020, all life sewage, restaurant wastes, hospital discharges will be treated. The first incinerator factory with an output capacity of 2,000 tons per day will be operational in January, 2017. By 2020, three incinerator factories will be put into operation in Ha Noi./.

By Kim Loan