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| Student volunteers take part in a campaign to clean up streets in HCM City. — Photo nld.com.vn |
Viet Nam News
HCM CITY — HCM City authorities will strictly enforce regulations on illegal dumping of waste by assigning public order management teams to conduct more inspections.
Fines for littering have not been strictly enforced as a shortage of staff has made it difficult to catch offenders, according to Huỳnh Cách Mạng, vice chairman of the city’s People’s Committee.
The committee has assigned teams to work under district people’s committees to impose fines on littering violators, Mạng said during the TV programme “Listen and Discuss” which aired on Sunday.
Around 8,900 tonnes of domestic waste are discharged every day, including 2,300 tonnes of waste generated in public places, said Nguyễn Thị Thanh Mỹ, deputy director of the city’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
This year, the city has handed out a total of VNĐ1.3 billion (US$55,700) in fines for 490 violations, Mỹ said.
Penalties for violations are regulated under a decree. A fine of VNĐ500,000-1 million ($21-42) is imposed for throwing or discarding cigarette butts and ashes in public places, and VNĐ3-5 million ($128-214) for throwing or discarding domestic waste.
A fine of VNĐ1-3 million ($42-128) is imposed for urinating or defecating in a public place.
The city’s Department of Natural Resource and Environment has proposed catching violators on cameras installed on city streets.
The cameras are used to monitor traffic safety and public security. Surveillance by cameras of littering violators would hasten law enforcement, Mỹ said.
Nguyễn Thị Quyết Tâm, chairwoman of the city’s People’s Council, blamed the littering habit on a lack of public awareness. —VNS
