Hanoi will keep implementing solutions to environmental issues in the city such as clean water supply, air pollution and water pollution, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung stated at a meeting on June 5.

The Hanoi mayor said that in recent years, the municipal government has focused on solving pressing issues such as pollution in ponds and lakes and cooperating with foreign scientists to handle heavy pollution in 90 lakes in the city.

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung speaks at the meeting. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn

In the time ahead, the city’s authorities will continue to cooperate with scientists at home and abroad to apply new technologies to thoroughly tackle pollution in the city’s ponds and lakes.

Considering sewage treatment plants one of the city's key tasks, mayor Chung said the local government would allocate official development assistance (ODA) and the city's budget for wastewater treatment.

So far only 25% of wastewater in Hanoi’s craft villages has been treated. In the coming time, the city will strive to treat 100% of urban sewage and wastewater in craft villages.

On February 4, the Hanoi mayor asked contractors to speed up the construction of the Yen Xa sewage treatment plant in Thanh Tri district to help clean the heavily-polluted To Lich river and better lives of citizens living along its banks.

While making an inspection to the plant, Chung stressed it is a key and vital project of Hanoi as it would collect and purify sewage discharged in seven districts, especially waste water from the city’s polluted To Lich river and make it clean again.

The municipal mayor also asked the project management to coordinate with the contractors to avoid delaying the project’s progress.

The Hanoi People's Committee on May 18 also held a groundbreaking ceremony for an underground sewage collection system along the To Lich river.

The Hanoi Management Board of Investment, Construction Projects on Water supply, Drainage and Environment said that building the underground collection system helps avoid alteration in the underground infrastructure and other urban works and utilities.

The sewage water in the collector will then flow to Yen Xa wastewater treatment plant, which is schedule for completion soon.