People are littering indiscriminately into the Lam River.

According to observations by reporters on March 13-14, numerous makeshift garbage dumps have appeared along the Lam River under the Yen Xuan bridge in Long Xa commune, Hung Nguyen district. Plastic bags, plastic bottles, leftover food, religious offerings, and even animal carcasses have been dumped indiscriminately for days, emitting a foul odor. Many of these dumps are being burned on the spot, sending smoke billowing into the air. Even more concerning, people crossing the bridge are throwing garbage directly into the Lam River.

On March 14th, we witnessed a household using a motorbike to drag a cartload of garbage down to the river. When asked, the resident casually replied, "I saw everyone else dumping garbage here, so I brought mine too..."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung, a resident of Long Xa commune, Hung Nguyen district, expressed her frustration: "The indiscriminate dumping of garbage along the Lam River has been happening for many months now. When it's sunny, it smells terrible, and when it rains, water from the garbage dump overflows into the river, polluting the water source. The people are very worried and have reported it to the local authorities."

According to reports, because this area is far from residential areas and has little traffic, some people have taken advantage of this to illegally dump waste into the river. In addition, the lack of proper waste collection points and an inefficient waste collection system are also contributing factors to the increase in indiscriminate littering.

Regarding this issue, the Long Xa commune authorities in Hung Nguyen district stated: The locality has received many complaints about the indiscriminate dumping of garbage, causing pollution along the Lam River at the foot of Yen Xuan bridge. The commune has also organized several garbage collection campaigns and educated people not to litter, but the problem persists. The main reasons are the lack of awareness among some residents, and the locality also lacks the resources to maintain regular sanitation efforts.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Chairwoman of the Long Xa Commune People's Committee, emphasized: "Previously, the commune had discovered some households illegally dumping waste in this area and had conducted awareness campaigns and issued warnings. However, because this situation continued to recur, we were forced to apply stronger measures. In early March 2025, the commune proceeded to issue citations and fine several households for this behavior."

"In the long term, the local authorities have also installed surveillance cameras and warning signs to prevent indiscriminate dumping of garbage. Simultaneously, we encourage citizens to play a supervisory role; if they detect someone illegally dumping waste and report it to the authorities for timely action, they will be rewarded," Ms. Tuyet added.