The image of young people in Ho Chi Minh City wading in a murky canal filled with garbage has made the community feel admiration and concern. The reason why garbage continues to 'suffocate' the canals has been pointed out, from which many people hope that there will be a form of severe punishment for littering.
All kinds of garbage flooded and packed on the surface of the 19-5 canal (Binh Hung Hoa ward, Binh Tan district) - Photo: TRIEU VAN
On March 1, Tan Binh District Youth Union, Green Saigon Club (under the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam Youth Union), and Tan Binh District Public Service Company Limited collected more than 10 tons of garbage that was littered in the box culvert area on Hy Vong Canal (Ward 15, Tan Binh District).
On the same day, the Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh City Technical Infrastructure Management Center, Ho Chi Minh City Urban Drainage Company Limited - Drainage Branch No. 6, Binh Tan District Youth Union, Binh Hung Hoa Ward Youth Union (Binh Tan District) together with local people collected more than 7 tons of garbage on the 19-5 canal.
Admire the spirit of youth but sad with the awareness of litterers
Images of young men and women daring to immerse themselves in the black, foul-smelling water, making it difficult to distinguish the surface of the water because of the dense garbage, have made many Tuoi Tre Online readers express their concerns.
Reader lost... comment: Young people are very welcome, but isn't there a better way?
mt10xx account also expressed: We really appreciate everyone's efforts. Collecting and cleaning up trash is difficult, preventing others from littering is not easy at all.
Seeing images of young people picking up trash to "revive" trash-filled canals, BaoBao readers said that more of these images should be posted online, in the hope of touching and motivating those who have been littering carelessly!
Reader Lan Anh said she admired the spirit of the young people. They did not care about the risk of disease, dirt, and stench but contributed to a clean, green living environment for everyone.
However, Lan Anh is also full of worries when seeing the canals throughout Ho Chi Minh City constantly filled with garbage, clogged and smelly. The consequences are not only obvious environmental pollution, but also the destruction of land and groundwater, which are non-renewable resources for the future of our children.
"Hopefully, this action of yours will awaken the conscience of all people, be recognized and noticed by authorities at all levels to have long-term fundamental solutions, with appropriate construction measures. For example, sewers, separating rainwater from wastewater, collection and classification facilities, wastewater treatment plants and improving regulations, environmental monitoring and control tools, building and soon implementing short, medium and long-term programs and plans to quickly and thoroughly solve pollution problems," Lan Anh wrote.
Volunteers from the Green Saigon Club clean up trash in the canal - Photo: NGOC KHAI
Cleaning up is the tip, dealing with the root cause is littering.
According to reader Tran Huu Phan Vinh, collecting trash on the canals has indeed brought initial results. The canals are clean right away, but this is only a temporary solution. The root of the problem is still people's awareness.
Many other readers of Tuoi Tre Online also agree with Tran Huu Phan Vinh's opinion. From there, they are also full of thoughts and wishes to find a new solution because "people are not aware and just throw garbage into the canals, while human strength is limited, how can they go behind to collect it?"
Despite the no-dumping sign, the end of the 19-5 canal is always flooded with all kinds of trash - Photo: TRIEU VAN
Reader Dan said: "Punish more severely those who litter."
That was also bluntly stated by reader lexu: "If there is no severe punishment, littering will continue."
In addition to expressing appreciation for the youth's awareness and efforts in cleaning up trash, reader Anh Vu said: "But this needs a more fundamental and effective solution. Cameras should be installed to impose heavy administrative fines on those who litter."
Installing cameras to monitor and fine people who litter or dump garbage in the wrong places was also brought up by reader Nguyen Pham Hung. "Fines from 500,000 VND to 1 million VND, and forcing them to clean up garbage in canals and public areas for 30 days," Nguyen Pham Hung added.
It seems that many Tuoi Tre Online readers expressed their hope that organizations and authorities would soon come up with a solution, even a heavier and more stringent penalty, for "garbage thieves". As reader Huong commented: "I sincerely hope that the authorities will severely punish the act of littering".
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cam-phuc-thanh-nien-dam-minh-vot-rac-kenh-den-muon-phat-nghiem-nguoi-xa-rac-20250302153911839.htm
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