Vietnam Hanoi to Spend $619M on Tackling Pollution in Craft Villages by 2020

Authorities in Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi have decided to invest more than VND13 trillion ($619 million) to clear up the environmental pollution in 44 craft villages from now to 2020. The project will benefit the craft villages on processing farm produce in the inner districts and crowded residential areas where there are backward technologies and people’s low awareness about environmental protection. The city is encouraging other stakeholders to contribute to the project’s implementation. In rural areas, farmers have been asked to invest in concentrated farming and biogas production. Hanoi also asks rural households to manage their waste more effectively, with families failing to do this set to be held more accountable. The city expects that all public facilities will have access to clean water and decent toilets by 2030. Pollution in craft villages has gotten worse over the years and requires strong and long-term policies, experts said, emphasizing the need to encourage the use of environment-friendly technologies at the villages for environmental protection. Vietnam is home to 3,500 villages, 1,000 of which are in dire need of financial support to deal with serious environmental pollution. (hanoitimes.com.vn May 2)