Hanoi ratifies resolution on enhancing fire prevention and firefighting

The Hanoi People’s Committee, during the 13th session [September 22], approved a resolution on measures to enhance fire prevention and firefighting efforts.

Deputies at the 13th session. Photos: Thanh Hai/The Hanoi Times

The resolution outlines nine main categories of measures, encompassing immediate and future actions to enhance regional fire and explosion safety.

In line with this, the resolution places special emphasis on addressing and preventing fire and explosion incidents, particularly in high-risk areas such as multi-story residential buildings, industrial zones, craft villages, and commercial centers. These efforts will be prioritized from now until the end of 2023 and further extended through 2025.

Furthermore, the resolution highlights the importance of public awareness campaigns and training programs aimed at equipping individuals with essential rescue and evacuation skills. The City People's Council encourages businesses, organizations, individuals, and community members in the capital to actively engage in raising awareness, improving their knowledge, and enhancing their abilities in responding to fire, explosion, and accident situations.

The collaborative efforts of these stakeholders, in partnership with the city government, are crucial in preventing, mitigating, and ultimately averting incidents with severe consequences related to fires and explosions. This collective approach is integral to promoting socio-economic development, ensuring political stability, and maintaining social order and safety within Hanoi's capital.

Adjusting public investment plan in 2023

On the same day, the municipal People’s Council approved a resolution to adjust the city’s public investment plan in 2023, targeting 30 projects, with a cumulative estimated investment of VND15 trillion (US$615.4 million).

The fund would be earmarked for various sectors including education and training, healthcare, population and family services, cultural information, environmental initiatives, irrigation, transportation, technical infrastructure for resettlement, and urban public works.

Hanoi also decided to adjust the investment policies of four projects, funded through the city-level budget with an estimated investment of VND12.4 trillion ($508.7 million).

These adjustments encompassed projects in the transportation sector, including the renovation and enhancement of the National Highway 6 section from Ba La to Xuan Mai, the construction of the Ba Sao - Bai Dinh route, and the upgrade of provincial road 42A stretching from Cong Than to Cau Gie in Phu Xuyen District.

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Council Nguyen Ngoc Tuan.

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Council Nguyen Ngoc Tuan in his opening remarks of the 13th session stressed that the Standing Committee of the City People's Council, empowered by law, based on the practical situation in the city, and after consultation with the People's Committee and the Fatherland Front Committee, decided to convene the 13th Session.

The aim was to promptly discuss and propose solutions to several critical, essential, and urgent matters to ensure the capital’s security and socio-economic development,” Tuan said.

He further noted that there have been deficiencies in the fire prevention work in residential areas, households, apartments, high-rise buildings, boarding houses, businesses, entertainment venues, markets, parks, and industrial clusters. This situation posed significant potential risks and resulted in numerous fires, including severe ones, causing significant damage to people and property.

Overview of the 13th session.

In response to this challenging situation, the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Council promptly submitted a Resolution to the City People's Council to intensify effective measures for leading, directing, and organizing fire prevention, firefighting, and rescue efforts in the city under the new circumstances, Tuan said.

Additionally, given the serious consequences of the recent fire on Khuong Ha Street in Khuong Dinh Ward, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, the Hanoi People's Council, during this meeting, will work out more specific policies that would serve as a foundation for extending further support to those affected by the fire.

Tuan also stressed the significance and necessity of these efforts to continue providing care, solidarity, encouragement, as well as material and emotional support to the affected families and victims, helping them overcome their difficulties and quickly stabilize their lives.

Furthermore, the 13th session agenda included discussions on various topics, including adjustments to the 2023 Public Investment Plan at the city level, approval of policies and amendments to investment policies for certain projects financed by public funds, and collecting feedback on the impact of the Ring Road No.4 Project in the Hanoi Capital Region.

The Hanoi People's Council reviewed matters related to adjustments and additions to the list of land requisition projects in 2023 within the city, changes in land use purposes for rice farmland, special-use forest land, and protective forest land in the city in 2023. They also discussed policies related to the change of forest use purposes for two projects in Soc Son District and considered the establishment of Gia Lam District and its constituent wards.