HCM City – HCM City will spend VNĐ29 trillion (US$1.3 billion) for anti-flooding and canal dredging, works and cleaning up its highly polluted canal network.

The money will come from the first quarter public investment plan, which was recently announced by the authorities.

“The People’s Committee instructs all related authorities, including departments and district People’s Committees, to fully focus on this task to mitigate the severe pollution in the city’s canal system,” Trần Vĩnh Tuyến, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee, told Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn) newspaper.

Most canals are covered in rubbish and their water is often black and foul, making them look like sewers rather than canals.

Locals have been living amidst this for years, suffering from diseases and facing a lot of other difficulties.

Tuyến has set a deadline on July 31.

“All related authorities and investors must sign a commitment that by the end of July at least 50 per cent of the [earmarked amount] must be disbursed and if any office does not achieve the goal, the leader will be penalised,” he has said.

He also warned that district people’s committees, departments and agencies managing public works should not tell contractors to begin the work until all the pre-work procedures are completed to avoid debts.

The People’s Committee has also ordered the city Steering Centre of The urban Flood Control Programme, which will manage the programme, to cement the bottoms and banks of major canals such as the Trung Ương canal in Hóc Môn and Bình Chánh districts, improve the water quality in the Tân Hóa – Lò Gốm Canal, renovate the sewerage system in Ba Vân Street, widen the Láng The Canal in Củ Chi District, and strengthen the dyke along the Sài Gòn River in districts 12, Hóc Môn, and Gò Vấp.

According to the latest tests by the Department of Natural Resource and Environment, the water in the city’s canals is severely polluted will all pollution figures far above permitted levels.

Dealing with this kind of pollution is one of the key tasks of the city to ensure a healthy life for its millions of citizes. — VNS