Lê Tuấn Định, deputy director of the Hà Nội Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Photo reatimes.vn

Lê Tuấn Định, deputy director of the Hà Nội Department of Natural Resources and Environment, speaks to Hà Nội Mới (New Hà Nội) newspaper on Hà Nội’s plan to install more air quality monitoring stations

How many automatic air quality monitoring stations does Hà Nội have?

Since January 1, 2017 the Hà Nội Department of Natural Resources and Environment has been assigned to operate 10 automatic air quality monitoring stations in the city. In last July, the department was assigned to receive air quality data from a fixed monitoring station at the French Embassy in the inner city. However, the air quality data from the French Embassy focuses on only PM.2.5, particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres.

If anyone is interested in seeing the actual quality of the air in Hà Nôi, they should visit https://moitruongthudo.vn or the https://airhanoi.hanoi.gov.vn

Do you think the 10 air quality monitoring stations are sufficient and give objective information about the air quality in the capital?

At present, 10 air quality monitoring stations have been installed in the inner city, as inner city areas are more affected by air pollution than outlying districts. I have to say, the observation data has not yet reflected the air quality of all Hà Nội.

It is expected that very soon Hà Nội will install a dozen more air quality monitoring stations. When will these stations be installed?

It is expected that Hà Nội will have 33 more weather observation stations, of which 20 stations will be fixed, one will be a mobile monitoring vehicle station and 12 are sensitive monitoring stations.

However, at a recent meeting, Hà Nội People's Committee Chairman Nguyễn Đức Chung ordered the city’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment to have all 33 weather observation stations operational by the end of the first quarter next year. Will that work be completed on schedule?

I’m confident that everything will go to plan.

To meet that deadline, the Hà Nội chairman has asked some enterprises in the city to participate in the project so the deadline will be met. At present, with the leadership of the Hà Nội Department of Natural Resources and Environment, some enterprises have joined in discussions on what equipment will be used in these observation stations and where the stations will be installed. They vow to complete the project in the first quarter of 2020.

How  will these stations be operated to ensure they give reliable results?

We have already discussed how to get the best results from the city’s investment. The Hà Nội Department of Natural Resources and Environment will use the latest technology to ensure the investment is worth every penny and will produce an early and precise weather forecast for Hà Nội people. VNS