People’s Committee in Ho Chi Minh City has got its teeth into canal water environment rehabitilation with spending of VND29,000 trillion ($1.3 billion).

U Cay canal in district 8 after rehabilitation (Photo: SGGP)

The city’s authorities have issued the public investment plan for the first quarter of 2018. In which, the city allocates the amount of $1.3 billion for rehabilitation project which waterways restoration, dredging and cleanup of polluted canals are underway.

The city’s Steering Center of the Urban Flood Control Program (SCFC) will be investors of all projects.

Locals are upset with polluted canals such as Tran Quang Co, Cau Sa, Cung, Long Den in district 8, Xuyen Tam in Binh Thanh district, Trai in district 6, Ba Bo in Thu Duc district, Tan Tru in Tan Binh district which give out stench.

For years, residents along the above-mentioned canals have no choice but live in bad ordor and they are likely to have ailment because of inhaling stink everyday.

Accordingly, the city authorities decided to spend big amount on dredging and cleaning up canals. As per the decision of People’s Committee in HCMC, dredging will be undertaken in polluted canals namely Ba Bo, Tran Quang Co, Ong Dung while construction of embankments will performed in canals in district 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, Binh Tan, Binh Thanh, Go Vap, Phu Nhuan, Tan Binh, Tan Phu. Irrigation renovation system will be carried out in Tan Son Nhi Street, the National Highway No.14 - Dinh Bo Linh – Nguyen Xi- Ung Van Khiem in Binh Thanh district and other canals.

For the project’s efficiency to improve people’s living condition, Deputy Chairman of People’s Committee Tran Vinh Tuyen asked relevant agencies and sector to make concerted efforts to concentrate on the projects.

Furthermore, he urged directors of department, chairpersons in people’s committees in district and direct investors to accelerate the disbursement of public investment projects.

According to the deputy chairman, half of the disbursement must be done on July 31; head of the departments and units will take responsibility if his/ her organization has not disbursed half of the disbursement on the required date.

In addition to improving above-mentioned polluted canals, the city’s authorities has ordered the Steering Center of the Urban Flood Control Program to dredge major canals in Hoc Mon and Binh Chanh districts and reinforce dykes in areas along Sai Gon River or the section from Tra canal to Vam Thuat river in district 12, Hoc Mon and Go Vap.

As per the municipal Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ monitoring study, canal water is seriously polluted with high concentration of heavy metal. Consequently, it has affected canal water quality and water supply for people’s daily activities.

Environmental pollution reduction is one of the city’s the seven breakthrough programs, in which revitalization of canal water is an urgent issue for over city locals.

SGGP