Waste disrupts lives of Hanoians

April 28, 2016 - 17:23

The ditch running through Trung Liệt Ward in the city’s Đống Đa District gives off a foul odour as all manner of household waste is being thrown into it.

The ditch through Trung Liệt Ward in the city’s Đống Đa District is filled with household waste and discarded furniture. –– Photo laodong.com.vn
Viet Nam News

HÀ NỘI (VNS) –– The ditch running through Trung Liệt Ward in the city’s Đống Đa District gives off a foul odour as all manner of household waste is being thrown into it.

The 1km-long ditch, filled with garbage and discarded furniture, was supposed to be turned into a road.

Construction has been underway for nearly a year, but only two-thirds of the work is complete, leaving it to become a large dumping ground.

“The ditch has been polluted for years. When the building company began the project, many locals continued to throw waste into the ditch, making the pollution even worse,” Hồ Thị Thúy, a local, said.

This ditch has now become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies, affecting the people’s health, she added.

“Waste (blocking the ditch) prevents wastewater from flowing through it, causing the water to remain stagnant, which produces a foul smell and has led to an increase in cases of asthma and respiratory diseases among the elderly and children,” Bùi Thị Nhàn, a representative of the ward’s People’s Committee, said.

According to Nguyễn Quang Dũng, a technician with the construction unit, the authorities were to be blamed for the slow progress of the work, but the improper disposal of waste was due to a lack of awareness among residents.

Locals in the area want the construction unit to speed up the work and fill in the sewers along the road, rescuing them from the polluted environment. –– VNS

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