Walking along the street, Ms. Truong Thi Minh heard a noise behind. Turning around, the middle-aged woman saw a bag of litter falling down from an apartment in condominium Ngo Gia Tu in District 10 in Ho Chi Minh City. She was told that it is a common thing in the street as residents in the condominium usually throw bags of litter from the high to the ground without watching.
Walking street Nguyen Hue in downtown district is flooded with rubbish in paths, or piles of garbage besides dust bins. Downtown streets such as Ngo Duc Ke, Huynh Thuc Khang, Ton That Thiep are seen with litter as street vendors leave it.
Most walkers in Bach Dang Port in District 1 all leave food and beverage in sidewalk or park bench after taking some fresh air there.
Here and there in markets, litter is seen all the ways. From 6PM everyday, fleets of vehicles carry fruits and vegetables from many provinces to the wholesale market Thu Duc. When the trading session finishes, the market looks like a landfill with scattering wastes, nylon bags and rotten fruits and vegetables.
Ten sanitation workers clean relentlessly; however, their efforts seem to be unrewarded because people throw bags of litter everywhere in the market until noon.
The market has polluted the surrounding environment for a long time. People living near the market have complained of pollution and bad smells affecting their daily lives for nearly a decade.
Likewise, Lac Quang Market in district 12 is inundated with garbage though the district People’s Committee places a post to ban leaving litter in the market gate, warning to fine VND5-7 million on violators yet it is useless.
Wholesale market Thu Duc, one of three biggest markets in Ho Chi Minh City, receive 3,500 – 3,700 ton of fruits and vegetables from neighboring province. There are 900 traders in the market. Ms. Nguyen Thi Nam Phuong from the market’s management board said the market spends VND320 million ($13,707) monthly on treating litter.
Similarly, the wholesale market Hoc Mon spends VND160 million on treating 80 tons garbage a day.
Around 2,900 canals and rivers surrounding Ho Chi Minh City through residential blocks are seriously polluted because of people’s low awareness of environment protection.
A 65-year-old Dang Ngoc Mai in District 4 throw all the residues of vegetables into the canal around her house which reeks because people throw garbage into it even bodies of dead animals.
Being questioned why not put litter in front of the house so that sanitation workers will collect, Ms. Mai said that all residents do like her to save money for sanitation service.
In spite of the local government’s efforts in improve Chien Luoc Canal in Binh Tan District, it stinks to heaven.
Related articles:
HCMC to install cameras to catch litterbugs
City Party Leader calls on people not to litter in roads, canals
Related articles:
HCMC to install cameras to catch litterbugs
City Party Leader calls on people not to litter in roads, canals
