HCM CITY — HCM City authorities will carry out regular checks of housing projects to ensure they have the stipulated green areas, with a focus on large projects already occupied by residents.

Lê Văn Khoa, deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee, recently instructed relevant authorities to check existing programmes and create new programmes to develop parks and green spaces in the city in 2017–20 period.

The City People’s Committee has on its part told relevant authorities to preserve greenery since the environment has been facing challenges.

The development of green space and improving people’s living standards are among the seven major urban planning and development programmes for 2016–20 approved by the city Party Committee.

Newswire Dân Trí reported that the developers of many housing projects have failed to develop greenery as stipulated in their licence.

They handed over apartments and houses to buyers even before infrastructure and greenery are complete, it said.

The offenders include the Easter City Project (in Bình Chánh District) developed by Quốc Cường – Gia Lai Co, Nam Long Residential Area (District 7) and the Nam Long Residential Area (District 9) by Nam Long Group; and Khang Gia Project (Gò Vấp District) by Khang Gia Real Estate Co.

Khoa ordered the Department of Construction to carry out periodic inspections of the progress made in developing infrastructure and greenery at housing projects.

Tardy developers have been ordered to complete construction of parks and other green areas. Failure to do so or conform to quality and schedule will attract the wrath of the law.

The People’s Committee has also ordered developers of projects along canals such as Tham Lương – Bến Cát and Tàu Hủ - Bến Nghé – Kênh Đôi – Kênh Tẻ to co-operate with authorities and adjust if necessary their greenery plans to enable creation of a green corridor.

They were also asked to select suitable ornamental trees and plants to create more public space for residents in these areas. — VNS