Dyke violations are reducing their effectiveness in the approachingstorm season yet little has been done to resolve the issue, said Hanoi’sFlood and Dyke Management Department director Do Duc Thinh.
"Serious violations are being reported, such as the presence of housesand other solid constructions on the dykes, but so far they have notresulted in a clearance of the dykes," Thinh said.
Statistics showed there were 4,700 violations of the city's 20 dykelines, which cover 470km; 440 violations were discovered last year.
"Though statistics show 177 violations in the first six months of thisyear, the real number is higher," Thinh said. "New violations areemerging every day while local authorities have not resolved the oldones."
Most violations involved construction ofhouses, workshops, stocks and brick-kilns on dykes. Others includeddumping construction rubbish, removing gravel and digging irrigationchannels.
Violations occurred primarily in the Hongand Day riverside districts, including Ung Hoa, Dan Phuong, Phu Xuyenand Hoai Duc districts.
"About 40 percent of violations occurred along a 36km stretch in Ung Hoa district."
Pham Van Hien, head inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment said some districts have not taken drastic enough measuresto handle the situation, being content to settle the simple violationsand ignore the rest. Some offenders continued violating for years andyears.
In fact, he said, Phu Xuyen district's MinhPhu, Van Nhan and Hong Thai communes had actually signed contracts withindividuals to build 35 brick kilns on riverbanks, which was a directinfringement under the Dyke Law.
In addition, brick kiln owners illegally exploit dyke land and transport materials.
Thinh said local authorities had carried out inspections of the city'sdyke system which resulted in the removal of illegal homes and otherbuildings.
"However, a lack of strict punishment onthe violations makes the situation complicated," he said, addingclearances requires co-ordination.
"The bestsolution is to closely follow up with dyke management and tocontinuously improve the dykes before and after the rainy season," Thinhsaid.
He also recommended Hanoi create a resettlement land bank for families whose houses were removed from the dyke system./.
"Serious violations are being reported, such as the presence of housesand other solid constructions on the dykes, but so far they have notresulted in a clearance of the dykes," Thinh said.
Statistics showed there were 4,700 violations of the city's 20 dykelines, which cover 470km; 440 violations were discovered last year.
"Though statistics show 177 violations in the first six months of thisyear, the real number is higher," Thinh said. "New violations areemerging every day while local authorities have not resolved the oldones."
Most violations involved construction ofhouses, workshops, stocks and brick-kilns on dykes. Others includeddumping construction rubbish, removing gravel and digging irrigationchannels.
Violations occurred primarily in the Hongand Day riverside districts, including Ung Hoa, Dan Phuong, Phu Xuyenand Hoai Duc districts.
"About 40 percent of violations occurred along a 36km stretch in Ung Hoa district."
Pham Van Hien, head inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment said some districts have not taken drastic enough measuresto handle the situation, being content to settle the simple violationsand ignore the rest. Some offenders continued violating for years andyears.
In fact, he said, Phu Xuyen district's MinhPhu, Van Nhan and Hong Thai communes had actually signed contracts withindividuals to build 35 brick kilns on riverbanks, which was a directinfringement under the Dyke Law.
In addition, brick kiln owners illegally exploit dyke land and transport materials.
Thinh said local authorities had carried out inspections of the city'sdyke system which resulted in the removal of illegal homes and otherbuildings.
"However, a lack of strict punishment onthe violations makes the situation complicated," he said, addingclearances requires co-ordination.
"The bestsolution is to closely follow up with dyke management and tocontinuously improve the dykes before and after the rainy season," Thinhsaid.
He also recommended Hanoi create a resettlement land bank for families whose houses were removed from the dyke system./.
