Alarming pollution is 'killing' the historical Le Dynasty canal.

The canal bed changed color.

On the last day of October, amidst heavy rain, the stream flowed...Le Dynasty CanalThe section of the canal passing through Nghi Yen commune (Nghi Loc district) has started to change color again. A stream of pitch-black water from a ditch flows down, mixing with the canal's water, and before long, the entire length of the canal turns black and emits a strong, foul odor. This situation has occurred frequently in recent years, especially on rainy days.

The polluted area extends for several kilometers, particularly around the Le Dynasty Canal monument, located right next to National Highway 1A. Many households live in this area, so the pollution has significantly impacted their lives.

“In the past, children used to go down to the canal to swim in the summer. In recent years, the water has frequently turned black, and no one dares to go near it anymore. Every time the water changes color, the households living along the canal suffer greatly from the foul smell,” said Hoang Van Bac (37 years old).

The Nha Le Canal, the section passing through Hung Nguyen and Nghi Loc districts, was recognized as a National Historical Monument in 2016. It is an important waterway connecting the provinces of Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh. During the war against the US, this canal became an effective waterway for transporting goods and weapons through the key areas of attack in Central Vietnam, considered a "Ho Chi Minh Trail on the river," making a significant contribution to the cause of national liberation.

For nearly 10 years, working tirelessly along the waterways, with 1,350 cadres, workers, laborers, youth volunteers, and civilian workers participating in the fight against bomb and mine clearance, dredging waterways, and counter-blockades, 130 people in Nghe An province alone bravely sacrificed their lives.

To commemorate and honor the brave soldiers of the waterway sector who heroically sacrificed their lives and a legendary canal that has gone down in history, in 1996, the Nghe An Department of Transport chose Than Vu Mountain, near the burial place of 130 martyrs in Nghi Yen commune, as the site for the Le Dynasty Canal Memorial. Despite being the most historically significant section of the canal, in recent years, the waterway in this area has been severely polluted.

Mr. Tran Cong Hoa, Vice Chairman of the Nghi Yen Commune People's Committee, said that this canal not only has historical significance but also provides irrigation water for 400 hectares of cultivated land in the commune. "However, frequent pollution has seriously affected the lives of the people. Each time this happens, we conduct inspections to find the cause, but so far we have not been able to pinpoint the exact source of the pollution. We can only raise suspicions," Mr. Hoa said.

According to Mr. Hoa, the most serious and prolonged pollution incident occurred in mid-April 2021. Immediately after discovering that the canal had turned black and emitted a foul odor, the local authorities of Nghi Yen commune and Nghi Loc district formed a team to investigate the cause.

“At that time, there was a gas station along this canal, a household raising a large number of pigs, and several food establishments. However, inspections did not reveal any signs of wastewater discharge. We also suspected that the source of the pollution polluting the canal originated from the Nghi Yen Solid Waste Treatment Plant not far away, but at the time of inspection, the plant's wastewater discharge pipe was not discharging any wastewater,” Mr. Hoa said.

Furthermore, according to the Vice Chairman of the Nghi Yen Commune People's Committee, there have been many instances of canal pollution stemming from the clandestine dumping of waste by tanker trucks. “On some occasions, when we investigated, residents reported that the night before the canal became polluted, some tanker truck drivers would stop on the overpass, taking advantage of the darkness and low traffic to connect hoses and dump waste into the canal. On one occasion, residents discovered a truck carrying spent beer mash secretly dumping it. However, because the authorities couldn't directly detect it, they couldn't take action,” Mr. Tran Cong Hoa added.

Promptly address and resolve the issue of wastewater leakage from the landfill.

During the pollution episode at the end of October, residents traced the source of the black water and discovered it originated from the Nghi Yen Solid Waste Treatment Complex. Many residents were outraged, believing that the waste treatment facility was secretly discharging untreated wastewater during the rainy season, causing the canal to be severely polluted.

Speaking with reporters, the leader of the Nghi Yen Solid Waste Treatment Complex acknowledged that the black water originated from within the treatment facility. “After residents complained, we worked with them. However, that water source is not ours. It comes from the incineration area of ​​Galax Joint Stock Company,” he said, adding that the incinerators, due to environmental pollution, had been ordered to cease operation by the Provincial People's Committee three years ago, but a large amount of sludge remained. Every time there is heavy rain, water from this area overflows through a ditch within the solid waste treatment complex and flows into the Nha Le canal. Immediately after receiving the complaints, the Nghi Yen Solid Waste Treatment Complex deployed workers to build earthen barriers to prevent the wastewater from overflowing.

According to local residents, this is not the first time they have discovered black water flowing out from this waste treatment facility. Leaders of the Nghi Loc District People's Committee also stated that the Nghi Yen Solid Waste Treatment Area's operations frequently cause environmental pollution, significantly impacting the daily lives of residents in Nghi Yen commune and surrounding areas.

Therefore, many households are upset and have expressed their concerns to the relevant authorities. Residents in the area have also frequently raised this issue in meetings. Most recently, during a meeting with constituents held by National Assembly representatives in Nghi Yen commune, residents once again complained about the pollution originating from this waste treatment facility.

Mr. Pham Van Toan, Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, stated that this waste treatment area primarily relies on landfilling, generating leachate and foul odors that affect the lives of local residents. Of the eight landfill cells, five are currently full. Therefore, it is crucial to find an investor to address and resolve this issue, preventing the continued practice of landfilling waste.

Mr. Vu Van Phuong, Director of Vinh City Urban Environment and Construction Joint Stock Company (the unit operating the landfill in Nghi Yen commune), said that the Nghi Yen waste treatment area has been operating for more than 10 years. Over the years, measures have been taken to improve and address environmental pollution, such as spraying deodorizing agents and insecticides. However, this problem cannot be completely solved. Currently, the company will strive harder and utilize all available resources to minimize pollution for the people; in the future, landfilling will no longer be feasible, and new, standardized technologies will need to be selected to minimize pollution...

According to our investigation, in 2019, after the inter-agency inspection team concluded its findings, the People's Committee of Nghe An province fined Vinh City Urban Environment and Construction Joint Stock Company more than 760 million VND for discharging wastewater exceeding the standard into the environment.

Recently, the Provincial People's Committee continued to establish an inter-agency inspection team to inspect this wastewater treatment plant following numerous complaints from residents. During the inspection, the team discovered that the company was discharging untreated wastewater into the environment. The police subsequently collected samples for analysis. Currently, the team has extended the inspection period to reach a conclusion.