Hanoi vows to clean To Lich

Hanoi has vowed many times to upgrade To Lich, a beautiful river which has been seriously polluted from waste water sources.

If the proposed plan is approved, the investor will restructure the waste water drainage system and build it into a separate system. 

The water to flow to the river will be natural rainwater. The dyke system will be rebuilt in a way to save space and land. Trees will be grown to generate original beauty for the city.

The river will be dredged to create a natural current that ensures clean water for creatures. 

In the future, To Lich will connect the Red River and some lakes, including the West Lake to form up a harmonious system of rivers and lakes. 

In the longer term, it will also be connected with Nhue and Kim Nguu rivers to serve rainwater drainage and anti-flooding work.

Dr Tran Hong Con from the Chemistry Faculty of the Hanoi University of Natural Sciences believes that upgrading To Lich and turning it into a beautiful river and landscape in Hanoi is ‘within reach’.

Con stressed that pollution of To Lich is caused by the waste thrown by people living on the river.

It is necessary to prevent untreated waste water from flowing into To Lichand to keep the water level on To Lich at 1.5 meters at minimum. 

In addition, there should be a dam over To Lich. Control after To Lich locals continue to throw waste into it, the river will become polluted again.

“We can rehabilitate the river at any time we want, if we have strong determination,” Con said.

“If we decide to upgrade the river, we need to do it until the end” he said, adding that there was no need to worry about financial resources because ‘the upgrading of the river will not cost trillions of dong like the theatre project Hanoi wants to build”.  

Meanwhile, Dang Hung Vo, former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, and Phung Chi Sy from the Institute of Tropical Technology and Environmental Protection have raised a question about the source of money.

“Splitting waste sources, dredging the river and cleaning the river sides will have to be implemented. It will be very costly,” he said.

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