VietNamNet Bridge – The highly polluted Nhue and Day rivers in Ha Noi's outer Hoai Duc District have prompted local authorities to consider relocating the area's craft villages, but funding shortages may hinder any action.


HTML clipboard Part of the Nhue River passing through Huu Hoa Commune, Tu Liem District. Operations of craft villages in the neighbourhood have polluted the river badly. (Photo: VNS)
According to the National Assembly Standing Committee's study conducted earlier this month, the pollution levels in the two rivers are three or four times the regulated levels.


The study found that four of the district's 51 craft villages, including Duong Lieu, Minh Khai, Cat Que and La Phu, directly discharge waste water to the rivers.


Deputy chairman of the district People's Committee Nguyen Quang Duc said the four villages mainly produced cassava, vermicelli, malt, confectionery, green peas and wooden products. And he said 4.8 million cubic metres of waste water were discharged each year.


The untreated waste water is discharged into the T2, T5, T3A and T3B canals that then flow into the Nhue and Day rivers, which are currently black and giving off a potent smell.


To reduce the pollution caused by craft villages, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment approved a project aimed at protecting the district's environment by 2015 with a vision to 2020, said Duc.


Under the project, two waste water treatment systems have been under construction in the Cat Que and Duong Lieu communes since the end of last year, each with an area of 1.5ha. They are scheduled to be completed this year.


The systems are funded by VND28.8 billion (US$1.4 million) from the municipal budget. The expected capacity of the systems is about 12,000-13,000cu.m per day. A total of 50 rubbish collecting points, which have areas of 28.8ha, will be set up in different communes, he said.


"So far three points have been set up in the Dong La and Kim Chung communes," said Duc.


Enterprises in the craft villages were asked to separate their rubbish to make it easier to collect and treat. But Nguyen Van Hoa, owner of a vermicelli business in Cat Que, said that his enterprise had neither the time nor the manpower to separate rubbish.


"I think local authorities should set up waste treatment systems and have teams that specialise in separating rubbish since we just do not have time to do it," he said.


In May, the district authorities plan to build a treatment station in Cau Xa Village in the Van Canh Commune with a capacity of 10,000-12,000cu.m per day.


Duc said a long-term and ideal measure should remove craft villages from residential areas.


"But we're facing a lack of funds," he said.


He added that last year the ministry asked the National Assembly to increase the budget for environmental protection activities in the locality. If the proposal is approved, the district may eventually have enough funds to relocate the craft villages.


"Every year Ha Noi is supplied with VND800 billion ($40 million) for environmental protection and it is never enough," Duc said.


The Nhue and Day rivers have total areas of 7,665sq.m and run through five northern provinces, including Hoa Binh, Ha Noi, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News