The Hanoi Committee has announced thatthe second phase of a mass clean up of the city's lakes will start laterthis month.
"Most of the lakes have varying levels of pollution," said Ngo ThaiNam, deputy director of the Hanoi Environment Protection Department(EPD).
Waste water and algae are just two of the problems currently affectingthe nine lakes that have been earmarked for treatment in the phaseincluding Giang Vo, Van Chuong, Thien Quang, Nghia Tan, Van Quan, Ho Vo,Den Lu, Giap Bat and Ao Lam Du.
Pollution has become a big problem for people living by the lakes. InMarch this year, local citizens were subjected to the smell of rottingdead fish in Truc Bach.
An investigation by the EPD showed that the fish died due to seriouslypolluted water and tens of other lakes were affected by the sameproblem.
To date, 65 lakes in Hanoi remain to be dredged and cleaned, butthere are no plans for operations at 33 others, including Thuy Su, KimLien and Me Tri.
The project started in September 2009 with a total investment ofVND2.6 trillion (136.8 million USD). It is planned to finish inSeptember this year. In the first phase, 46 lakes were treated and thequality of water improved.
"Water quality is getting better but sometimes it is only a temporaryfix. In some cases, the problems return due to a lack of preservation,"said Nguyen Le, general director of the Hanoi Water Drainage Company.
Professor Vu Hoan, chairman of the Union of Science and TechnologyAssociations said that the city had tried a number of treatmenttechniques but the pollution still returned.
Nguyen Van Luong, director of the of Hanoi EPD, said the best way tosolve the problem was to ban the release of all untreated sewage intothe city's lakes.
"Comprehensive management of the lakes is needed but this iscomplicated at the moment as it involves local authorities,co-operatives and individuals," he said.
Educating local people on how to protect the environment was also animportant task, Luong added.
There are several waste water treatment facilities, but they do nothave the capacity to deal with the city's waste./.
"Most of the lakes have varying levels of pollution," said Ngo ThaiNam, deputy director of the Hanoi Environment Protection Department(EPD).
Waste water and algae are just two of the problems currently affectingthe nine lakes that have been earmarked for treatment in the phaseincluding Giang Vo, Van Chuong, Thien Quang, Nghia Tan, Van Quan, Ho Vo,Den Lu, Giap Bat and Ao Lam Du.
Pollution has become a big problem for people living by the lakes. InMarch this year, local citizens were subjected to the smell of rottingdead fish in Truc Bach.
An investigation by the EPD showed that the fish died due to seriouslypolluted water and tens of other lakes were affected by the sameproblem.
To date, 65 lakes in Hanoi remain to be dredged and cleaned, butthere are no plans for operations at 33 others, including Thuy Su, KimLien and Me Tri.
The project started in September 2009 with a total investment ofVND2.6 trillion (136.8 million USD). It is planned to finish inSeptember this year. In the first phase, 46 lakes were treated and thequality of water improved.
"Water quality is getting better but sometimes it is only a temporaryfix. In some cases, the problems return due to a lack of preservation,"said Nguyen Le, general director of the Hanoi Water Drainage Company.
Professor Vu Hoan, chairman of the Union of Science and TechnologyAssociations said that the city had tried a number of treatmenttechniques but the pollution still returned.
Nguyen Van Luong, director of the of Hanoi EPD, said the best way tosolve the problem was to ban the release of all untreated sewage intothe city's lakes.
"Comprehensive management of the lakes is needed but this iscomplicated at the moment as it involves local authorities,co-operatives and individuals," he said.
Educating local people on how to protect the environment was also animportant task, Luong added.
There are several waste water treatment facilities, but they do nothave the capacity to deal with the city's waste./.
