Air pollution in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi(VNA) - A meeting was held in Hanoi on May 27 to discuss measures to control air pollution and improve air qualityin Vietnam’s major cities.
Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and EnvironmentVo Tuan Nhan stressed that management agencies need to clarify the causes of airpollution.
According to the Vietnam Environment Administration, air pollution is becomingmore and more serious, especially in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
From last September to December, the hourly air quality index (AQI) in many areasexceeded 200 and even reached 300 - the levels that are hazardous for the health.
To improve air quality and ensure community health, Nhan requestedthe strengthening of operations at monitoring stations and drastically improvingmeasurement control and the use of official data sources to provide informationto communities.
Hanoi, HCM City, and other cities and provinces at high risk need to acceleratethe issuance and implementation of plans on public transport development andencourage people to use public transport and electric and gas-engine vehicles, whilereducing the use of personal vehicles.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is responsible for completinginstitutions and legal policies on environmental protection in 2020, building and promulgating technical standards on emissions and air quality, whichmust be close to the standards of other countries around the world.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport must develop strategies, plans, and roadmapsto increase the use of environmentally-friendly vehicles, trams, and publictransport networks.
It is necessary to identify solutions to prevent and minimize dust from the constructionof urban transport works, Nhan said.
The Ministry of Industry must direct and effectively manage the use of naturalresources and protect the environment in industrial and commercial production,especially in preparing and approving planning.
Attention should be paid to controlling projects with significant emissions, whichare likely to cause high levels of environmental pollution, such as the fieldsof coal thermoelectricity, petroleum, chemicals, steel, chemical fertilizers, mining,and mineral processing.
The Ministry of Construction should assume responsibility for issuing aCircular on environmental protection for construction activities; inspectingand evaluating construction management and repairing and dismantling constructionworks; and re-evaluating urban planning work./.
