VietNamNet Bridge – Hundreds of scrap-iron collectors, who have been making their living on the Ru Ri “garbage mountain” in Nha Trang City, have been trying to hinder the local authorities’ efforts to clear away the rubbish dump in the locality, because they fear they would lose the means of income.

The people in Vinh Luong commune of Nha Trang City have been living “together with the pollution” caused by the Ru Ri rubbish dump for the last many years. The local authorities have vowed to clear away the rubbish dump, but they are facing the strong opposition from hundreds of scrap-iron collectors.

Living together with the pollution

The bad odor attacks all the people passing the Ru Ri refuse tip in the northern part of Nha Trang City, while the smoke from the “mountain of garbage” pervades the whole region. From the “mountain,” a stream of dirty water runs into every corner of the Vinh Luong’s residential quarters.

However, hundreds of scrap-iron collectors still work and breathe there everyday, from early morning to late afternoon.

Nguyen Thi Huong, a local resident in Luong Hoa Hamlet of Vinh Luong commune, complained that local residents have been threatened by the dirty water from the rubbish dump.

“On rainy days, the strong streams of black water flow to our houses. When it shines, bad smells make children and old people sick,” Huong said.

Huong and other local residents now dare not use the local water sources, which have got seriously polluted. “We have to spend big money to buy water for daily use,” she said.

According to the Vinh Luong Commune People’s Committee, the Ru Ri dumping ground has been existing for the last tens of years. Since 2000, a lot of local residents have been found as catching cancer, tuberculosis, and dermatological diseases.

Hoang Thi Lien, Head of the Healthcare Station in Vinh Luong, said the water from the local wells has been found as having the nitrate concentration higher by 2-4 times than the allowed level and containing bacteria.

“Fifty people have got cancer diseases over the last 10 years,” Lien said.

However, though believing that the rubbish dump is the “culprit” that causes serious diseases, hundreds of local people still go working there every day.

Nguyen Duc Cuong, 18, said he dropped out when he finished the sixth grade. “I have to work to get money for the family,” he explained. “I catch a cough and scabies regularly. But I still have to stay there to earn my living.”

The means of subsistence

The provincial authorities have spent money to build the Luong Hoa rubbish dump, not far from the Ru Ri dumping ground. Luong Hoa has been put into the trial operation since early March 2014. The local people hope that the “Ru Ri fear” would be lifted once Luong Hoa becomes officially operational.

However, a new problem has arisen. The Ru Ri dumping ground does not receive garbage any more, while people are prevented from entering the Luong Hoa dumping ground to collect scrap-iron. As a result, hundreds of local people have lost their means of income.

On March 8, hundreds of people spontaneously stopped the trucks of the Nha Trang Urban Environment Company which tried to enter the Luong Hoa dumping ground.

NLD