Hanoi has suspended the cleaning of streets with water since February 2017 as using street vacuum cleaners would be more economical.
Hanoi mayor Nguyen Duc Chung has asked local bodies to bring back water trucks to wash the streets with a view to reducing air pollution nearly three years after their suspension, VnExpress reported.
Chung announced the decision at a meeting on December 18 after some district leaders had asked for spraying water in crowded streets to mitigate air pollution.
A water truck wets a street around the Hoan Kiem Lake in downtown Hanoi. Photo: Vo Hai |
Nguyen Thi Nang Mai, vice chairwoman of the Bac Tu Liem district People's Committee, said there are many major construction sites in her district, including a railway line, which are major sources of dust.
Nguyen Manh Ha, chairman of the Long Bien district People's Committee, said at the meeting that streets should be washed more often during the dry season and when pollution worsens.
According to Vice Chairman of the Hoang Mai district People's Committee Do Thanh Tung, two main streets in the district have been washed once a week and air pollution has been visibly reduced.
Hanoi has suspended the cleaning of streets with water since February 2017 as, according to the city’s authorities, using street vacuum cleaners would be more economical. Thus, the municipal government has purchased 50 street sweeper machines and garbage trucks from Germany for the work. One truck daily sucks 1.5 cubic meters of dust, the same volume as 12 workers.
Since then some streets are washed only during major celebrations and the area around Hoan Kiem Lake before and after they are closed to traffic during weekends.
Chung explained that using street sweeper could save VND70 billion (US$3.01 million) for the city’s budget in watering the streets each year, at the same time reducing labor force used in sucking mud in sewers due to washing the roads.
Hanoi's alarming pollution has been making headlines since September.
Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment Le Tuan Dinh informed that, since the beginning of the year, Hanoi has experienced six prolonged air pollution periods (on average from 5 to 10 days each), in which air quality was recorded at unhealthy levels.
Other News
- Hanoi, Vientiane explore cooperation opportunities in tourism development
- Happy Parents, Successful Children: Parenting in digital age
- Fireworks to light up Hanoi's 70th Liberation Day
- Hanoi tourism sector struggles with rising airfares
- Hanoi steps up effort to address air pollution
- Vietnamese landscape in the 1930s through Ukrainian photographer's lens
- Temple of Literature multimedia books released
- 2,000-year-old bronze drums on display at Hanoi Museum
- Hanoi celebrates 1,085th anniversary of ancient Co Loa capital
- Hanoi strengthens cooperation with neighboring Hoa Binh Province
Trending
-
Vietnam, Indonesia eye lifting relations
-
Vietnam news in brief - April 25
-
Vietnamese contemporary ballet celebrates Europe Day
-
IT training urged to focus on semiconductors
-
Voluntary social security should cover larger part of informal sector: Experts
-
ASEAN Future Forum 2024: Promoting regional centrality
-
Central bank moves gold auction to tomorrow
-
[Video]Hanoi beauty spots featured in saxophone legend Kenny G's music video
-
Colorful stage shows in Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian area