Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi’s environmental problems have been basically solvedsince the city made its administrative boundary adjustment in 2008.

After the resolution of the National Assembly on the adjustment of Hanoi’s administrativeboundaries ten years ago, the total area of natural land of the capital is nearly335,000 hectares.

Asthe largest ever city in the country, Hanoi faced enormous challenges in dealingwith environmental pollution and ensuring a safe and healthy life for nearly 6.3million citizens.

Statistics showed that after 2008, Hanoi had 266 out of 1,350 villages causingserious environmental pollution with about 60,000 cu.m of wastewater dischargeddirectly into the environment every day.

Totaldaily discharge was over 300,000 cu.m, with one third of which being industrialwastewater.

Most of industrial production establishments directly released wastewater into majorrivers, making the majority of rivers and lakes in Hanoi polluted.

With a high determination alongside comprehensive and scientific measures, themunicipal authorities have effectively implemented the Prime Minister’s Decisionon approving the plan to thoroughly handle establishments that seriouslypollute the environment, considering this the top priority in preserving thecapital’s environment.

The municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment has coordinatedwith relevant departments and sectors in advising the city People's Committee tothoroughly deal with all the 25 seriously polluting establishments.

The department has also advised the municipal authorities to relocate industrialproduction establishments with high risks to suburban areas to preventpollution sources.

Director of the department Nguyen Trong Dong said the city paid specialattention to improving the environment in To Lich and Nhue rivers, with manyprojects and programmes that focused on dredging the rivers’ bed.

Up to now, the city has built and put into operation urban wastewater treatmentstations and plants in an effective manner, ensuring wastewater after treatmentmeets environmental standards. They raised the total wastewater treatment capacityto 261,300 cu.m a day, or 32 percent of total wastewater that needs treatment.

In addition, in 43 operating industrial clusters, 21 wastewater treatment stationshave been completed and put into stable operation.

According to Hanoi’s Department of Construction, the rate of daily wastecollection reached 98 percent in inner-city districts, and 87 percent insuburban districts.

Notably, as many as 12 solid waste treatment areas has been constructed, while twolarge-scale waste treatment areas in Soc Son and Ba Vi districts have beenupgraded.

Experts, however, said that in the long run, Hanoi needs more comprehensive andcomprehensive measures to promote sustainable development.

Attention should be paid to building environmental monitoring systems anddevising policies to accelerate the progress of technical infrastructureprojects for protecting the environment, and handing environmental pollution inindustrial parks and trade villages, they stressed.-VNA