VietNamNet Bridge – The Ha Noi Department of Transport will co-operate with the city police on a month-long campaign beginning this Saturday to inspect traffic on the city's waterways.

Violations occurring along domestic waterways have threatened public safety and property, said the deputy director of the municipal transport department, Nguyen Xuan Tan.

Transport inspectors, waterway police and district authorities will maintain a close watch during the campaign on compliance with vessel registration and safety regulations. Those found not to have necessary licences, carrying excess passengers, fail to provide required life perservers, carrying dangerous cargo or dredging sand without a licence will be suspended from operation.

The interagency inspection team will also check management at wharfs, especially the situation regarding sand dredging, signal systems along waterways and illegal shelters.

A public information campaign on waterway regulations would coincide with the inspections, Tan said.

Since the beginning of the year, the city's transport department has found about 2,440 cases of waterway violations and fined them around VND1.8 billion (US$86,400). Figures from the waterway police show that 48 wharves and over 200 sand dredging businesses operate on the city's 69 lakes and 13 rivers.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News