Head of the Government Office Nguyen Van Nen yesterday said officials responsible for the tree-cutting fiasco in Ha Noi would be formally reprimanded in June.

Nen said the Government Office closely monitored the situation following the Ha Noi inspectors' report, issued earlier this month, which asked the city authorities to review their responsibilities and said the implementation of the project was done hastily even though it affected the lives of millions of people.

The inspectors' report said the construction department did not consult scientists and local residents about the project.

The inspectors said the criteria for deciding which trees would be cut down or removed were not clear; leading to the fact that the replanted trees did not meet the criteria for urban landscapes.

At least 500 trees on nine streets were cut down before the city halted the work. Under the US$3.4-million landscaping project, 6,700 trees on 190 streets were supposed to be cut down.

The project originated from officials' explanation that many of the trees were dying and posed risks to passers-by during the rainy season. 

VNS