HCMC – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the governments of Hanoi and HCMC to get rid of aging motor vehicles to reduce air pollution.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was assigned to review and report the implementation of a roadmap to apply vehicle exhaust emission standards, the local media reported.
According to the Government leader’s directive on enhancing control over air pollution, the air pollution in many localities nationwide is worsening, especially in large cities such as Hanoi and HCMC, affecting their socioeconomic development and public health.
The main reason for the air pollution is dust and exhaust emissions from vehicles and construction and industrial activities.
Meanwhile, the area comprising green trees and water surfaces in cities has yet to meet the requirements, and the deployment of regulations, programs and missions to control air pollution remains asynchronous and ineffective.
To boost control over air pollution and reduce its impact on public health, the prime minister asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to work out a plan to manage the air quality in the 2021-2025 period and submit the plan to the prime minister this quarter.
The ministry must also control the monitoring of air quality, publicize the results and promptly warn local residents of air pollution.
In addition, the ministry was told to review and improve the national criteria for industrial exhaust emissions and exhaust emissions from vehicles to ensure they are similar to those of developed countries.
As for Hanoi, HCMC and other localities at a high risk of air pollution, the Government leader asked for the development and deployment of plans to control air quality, direct the employment of response plans in case of serious air pollution, test exhaust emissions and evaluate the impact of coarse dust particles, 2.5-10 micrometers in diameter, before December 31.
These large cities should speed up the issuance and deployment of plans to develop public transport systems, prioritizing vehicles using clean energy.
The two cities were also required to encourage residents to use public vehicles and reduce private vehicles, reduce traffic jams and maintain the regular cleaning of key roads.
