Pollution of the sewer

(Baonghean) - Recently, public opinion has recorded positive changes in environmental protection work in our province. However, there are still "black" pollution spots that have been occurring for many years and even new pollution spots that have not been thoroughly resolved.

Pollution is affecting shrimp farming households in the Rao Dung culvert area, Nghi Thai commune.

CAbout 6 km east of Vinh City, Nghi Thai commune, Nghi Loc district appears before our eyes a peaceful and developed countryside scene. However, hidden inside is the people's frustration about the environmental pollution, affecting the lives and production of the people, especially the households living at the end of the village, including the hamlets of Thai Cat, Thai Binh, Thai Hung, Thai Hoc...

Following Mr. Vuong Duc Minh - Head of Thai Binh Hamlet, we approached the Rao Dung area - the last line of the wastewater channel from the city to lead to the Hung Hoa Commune sewer (Vinh City) and flow into the Lam River. The water from the main canal leading to Rao Dung and the surrounding low-lying areas is black and has a fishy smell. Mr. Minh said: "Thai Binh is one of the two hamlets with the largest production area affected by wastewater pollution from Rao Dung sewer out of the eight hamlets affected in the commune. Water pollution here has been happening for several years now. In the rainy season, the rainwater is diluted so the pollution is less, but on hot summer days like this, the pollution is worse." According to some residents, many people who work in the fields, herd ducks and buffaloes in the area around the dam and sewer have itchy hands and feet; cows, buffaloes and ducks released here sometimes have sores. One day, snakehead fish and mullet died right at the spillway and the sewer mouth. Not only that, just a few hundred meters from Rao Dung culvert, hundreds of shrimp ponds of households in Nghi Thai commune have also suffered many times... shrimp deaths.

Wastewater pollution directly affects the industrial shrimp farming area of ​​Nghi Thai commune. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Danh, Thai Cat hamlet, is feeding shrimp and said: "Because I have been raising shrimp for decades, I have to do it, but in recent years I have not made any profit. Last March, I released a batch of shrimp and after only nearly a month, all of them died, losing nearly 100 million VND in seeds and food." Near Mr. Danh's pond, Mr. Vuong Duc Hoe (Thai Binh hamlet) also had shrimp die recently, causing a loss of 60 - 70 million VND... These are 2 of dozens of shrimp farming households in Nghi Thai who suffered losses due to shrimp dying during the farming process. Mr. Le Anh Sang - a land and environmental officer of Nghi Thai commune, said: "We believe that the cause of water pollution in Rao Dung culvert comes from two sources of emissions. First is the domestic wastewater from Vinh City flowing directly into the canal; second is the wastewater from Vinh City's wastewater treatment plant (located in Hung Hoa commune) discharged into the environment that does not meet standards."

Located near Rao Dung culvert, to the south is the rice growing area of ​​farmers of Phong Dien Cooperative, Hung Hoa Commune (Vinh City) and here they also reflect the situation of environmental pollution, affecting the agricultural production of the people. The most obvious manifestation is that the rice planted in the outer plots near the wastewater canal is harvested later than other plots planted at the same time, with very low productivity.

Mr. Bach Hung Cu - Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Environmental Protection, said: The pollution situation in Nghi Thai and Hung Hoa communes that people have recently reported is real. Currently, because the city's wastewater collection system is not yet complete, the collection of domestic wastewater and production wastewater of the city has not been carried out, only a part has been brought to the centralized wastewater treatment plant in Hung Hoa commune for treatment.

A large amount of untreated wastewater is being discharged directly into the environment, including wastewater in the northern area through Bau bridge, Bac canal leading to Rao Dung river, causing environmental pollution. According to the report on environmental monitoring and analysis results at Rao Dung culvert, Hung Hoa commune in September 2013, it shows that some water environmental indicators exceed the permitted standards, such as Nickel exceeding 2.4 times; Coliforms exceeding 1.65 times.... According to Mr. Bach Hung Cu, the people's claim that the treated wastewater at Hung Hoa wastewater treatment plant discharged into the environment does not meet the standards is unfounded. Because through the sampling of water after treatment of the plant on June 20 by the department, the initial results also showed that the indicators and parameters all met the Vietnamese standards on the quality of wastewater discharged into the environment.

Obviously, whatever the cause, the environmental pollution in Nghi Thai and Hung Hoa is still happening, affecting production and threatening people's health. To promptly resolve this pollution, according to the authorities, Vinh City needs to strengthen the renovation and upgrading of the city's drainage system to thoroughly collect domestic wastewater generated in the area.

The immediate task is to accelerate the North Canal renovation project, because when this project is completed and put into use, the wastewater will be collected through two canal systems on both sides of the North Canal leading to the centralized wastewater treatment system in Hung Hoa for treatment, while the North Canal will become a surface drainage channel for the city. On the one hand, strengthen the inspection and supervision of production and business establishments in the city to minimize the discharge of untreated industrial wastewater into domestic water sources.

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