The Hanoi government has decided to take measures aimed at improving the quality in urban areas and optimizing the air quality measurement.
Hanoi’s air quality has been significantly improved. Photo: Cong Hung
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It will proceed with a plan to enhance the environmental monitoring network system by 2020. Under this plan, it will invest in 20 air monitoring stations (20 automatic permanent stations and one automatic moving vehicle), four stations to monitor surface water and six to keep track of underground water. It is also operating the Center for Management and Processing of Environmental Monitoring Data.
With the input data, the city’s authority will have a complete, comprehensive and continuous database that will provide a scientific basis for accurately assessing the current status of the air quality in Hanoi, said Head of Hanoi’s Environment Protection Authority Mai Trong Thai.
This will also be the basis for environmental management agencies to design and propose policies to improve the living environment of the people in the capital, Thai stressed.
Air pollution in Hanoi is caused by many factors, said Thai. The most important ones are rapid urbanization, shortage of synchronous infrastructure, poor management of construction.
Besides, traffic flows in the city are remarkable while the road infrastructure is overloaded, some means of transportation are outdated. In addition, investors of construction works don't comply with regulations on environmental protection, Thai added.
Hanoi’s air quality sees significant improvement
The AQI in 10 areas provided by Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment (including Trung Yen 3, Minh Khai, Hoan Kiem, Hang Dau, Kim Lien, Thanh Cong, Tan Mai, My Dinh, Pham Van Dong, Tay Mo ) showed that Hanoi's air quality in the last three months has improved markedly.
In days with severe heat wave and heavy traffic, no areas record bad warnings. In particular, over the past two weeks, the AQI in Hanoi has been good, with the average being around 50-70.
However, some roads and construction areas in the city are still heavily polluted with dust and benzene. The most critical ares are Ha Dong, Hoang Mai, Cau Giay and Tu Liem districts, and those with high concentration of pollutants such as My Dinh bus station, Nuoc Ngam bus station, Co Nhue crossroad, Long Bien bus stop, Giap Bat bus station, Cau Dien crossroad, etc.
Recently, the information on Air Quality Index (AQI) in Hanoi is updated daily on media. This is one of the most practical activities for transparent information, thus promoting Hanoi’s residents to protect the environment.
With the AQI published, residents know which areas have safe AQI to take measures to ensure health for themselves and their families. At the same time, it helps to improve the residents’ awareness of protecting air quality, said former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Hung Vo.
