Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Regulations imposingheavy fines of up to 7 million VND (308 USD) on those who litter in publicareas have been in effect for a year-and-a-half, but the number of violatorswho have been discovered and fined remains modest, so most city dwellers areindifferent to the fines.

In the meantime, the competent authorities havecarried out loose management, blaming their failure to implement theregulations on a shortage of staff.

Government decree 155/2016/ND-CP took effect last February, imposing fines ofbetween 500,000 VND (22 USD) and 1 million VND (44 USD) on those who threwcigarette butts and ash in no-smoking areas, and 3 million VND (133 USD) to 7million VND (301 USD) for those littering in public spaces such as streets orsewage systems in residential areas.

The decree was expected to curb littering andhelp make the environment clean and green. But, it has not been effective asdesired.

Throughout Hanoi, domestic and constructionwaste is seen dumped on the pavements, especially on ring roads and new roadssuch as Kim Giang, Dinh Cong, Nguyen Xien and Thang Long Boulevard, or smallroads along the Lu and Set rivers.

In small alleys in residential areas, piles ofgarbage appear at hidden corners, polluting the environment with a horriblesmell.

In the Old Quarter, garbage is dumped right ontothe streets or under the trees, mainly in front of street vendors, although thedust bin is often just a few steps away.

A sanitation worker who wished to be anonymoussaid she and other colleagues worked hard all day as garbage is everywhere.

“They just litter into the streets”, she said.“It seems that no one has been fined.”

She said when the decree came into effect,district authorities patrolled and asked people to throw garbage into dustbins, so the streets were clean. But after only a short period of neglect,everything reverted to normal.

The regulations stipulated that the people’scommittees at all levels and police in communes, wards and townships were incharge of inspecting and giving fines for violators.

Le Trung Dung, head of the Hanoi UrbanEnvironment One Member Co. Ltd’s Communication Office, told Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper the functionalauthorities were meant to fine violators, but their actions were not drasticand regular. As a result, the environmental situation improved in a shortwhile, but it quickly returned to the previous situation.

In fact, there are very few cases of fines beingissued, making people indifferent to regulations and blatantly throwing rubbishin public spaces.

The Hoan Kiem District People’s Committeeestimates that in the first six months of this year, the committee has fined171 people for littering with total fines of 780 million VND (33,540 USD).

However, it admitted that littering still occursin pedestrian streets, and many violators were not fined.

A representative of the Thanh Xuan DistrictPeople’s Committee said the committee faced the same difficulties in imposingfines. Early this year, the committee set up a working team to patrol thestreets and installed 30 dust bins to help people avoid littering on thestreets. But the situation has not improved much.

Mai Trong Thai, head of Hanoi EnvironmentalProtection Division, said many communes, wards and townships could not mobilisestaff around the clock to patrol the streets or alleys to deter violations.

Dang Hong Thai, Vice Chairman of the Thanh XuanDistrict People’s Committee, said that the committee has worked with the youthunion and women’s union to strengthen inspections and crack down on littering.

Six companies were fined for litteringconstruction waste into the streets, he added.

A representative of local authorities suggestedthat the dissemination of information on the regulations should be enhanced viastreet cleaning activities with the participation of local residents.-VNS/VNA