"Seasonal specialties"

(HNMO) - The outskirts of Hanoi are entering the rice harvest season. Although it has only just begun, many "specialties" of the harvest season have already appeared. These include the occupation of roads as drying areas for rice, regardless of whether it's a national highway, provincial road, or inter-communal/inter-village road... In particular, the burning of straw after harvesting remains very common, causing large areas to be shrouded in thick smoke, creating significant inconvenience for road users, and seriously affecting traffic safety and the living environment.

Images of cooperative yards and village communal halls fragrant with the smell of fresh straw and golden with ripe rice are now rare.

The "golden courtyard" vividly captures the beauty of a rural village during harvest season at Bat Ngo village communal house, Lien Bat commune, Ung Hoa district.

Instead, mobile "drying platforms" appear on many rural roads during the harvest season.

The road connecting the southern main road of the former Ha Tay province (Cienco 5 road) with National Highway 21B (the section passing through Hong Duong commune, Thanh Oai district) is very busy with vehicles, but it is still being used by locals to dry rice.

Even in areas near intersections where ample space is needed, the road is still being used to its fullest extent.

Not only main roads, but also narrow, small streets have become drying areas.

The inter-communal road, connecting Highway 429 to the Cao Thanh commune area (Ung Hoa district), has had one lane completely occupied by local residents.

Even at sharp turns, the road is still being encroached upon.

The section of road "curves" through the Cau Lao hamlet area, Truong Thinh commune (Ung Hoa district).

In particular, a "specialty" unique to the harvest season further intensifies the stifling atmosphere in the countryside: smoke. Smoke appears from morning until late at night...

It was still early in the morning, but the fields around the market in Tran Dang village, Hoa Son commune (Ung Hoa district) were already shrouded in smoke.

Late in the afternoon, smoke still hung thick over the fields in Thanh Oai district, directly affecting people traveling on Cienco 5 road.

Drying rice on roads creates "traps," posing a constant safety risk to road users.

Rice drying at many U-turn points along the Cienco 5 road is an "obstacle" for drivers.

In the afternoon, the rice drying on Cienco 5 road (the section passing through Thanh Oai district) is covered by the locals. Using bricks and stones to weigh down the plastic sheets creates dangerous traps for passersby.

These aforementioned "specialties" keep recurring and seem impossible to overcome. The New Rural Development program has helped change the lives of people in suburban areas for the better. Should we just accept "living with" them forever?

Source