The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment has built a project on an air quality observation center in the phase 2016-2020, which will need a total fund of VND495 billion (U$22.18 million) to build 27 automatic and 200 semiautomatic observation stations.

A plant emitting black smoke in Dong Hung Thuan ward, District 12.

Environmental quality control must ensure 14 norms, said deputy director of the department Nguyen Van Phuoc at a meeting with the city People’s Council yesterday.

However infrastructure limitations have caused the city focus on four norms covering water face, underground water, exhaust fume emissions and environmental quality around waste treatment sites.

They have basically met minimum requirements except the exhaust fume treatment.

Nine automatic observation stations which the Norway and Dane Governments assisted construction in 2003-2012 have been ruined and useless while HCMC has used semiautomatic observation systems at 16 spots since 2012.

However they have operated from 8-9 a.m. and 3 p.m.-4p.m. everyday which is unsuitable with practice because trucks are only permitted to travel in the city after these times.

Chairwoman of the People’s Council Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam proposed the People’s Committee to immediately take actions to minimize environmental pollution.

In March, the department should submit the council a plan to replace the ruined stations and short and long term investment plans in the observation system, she added.

SGGP