After the festival of the Kitchen God, people in many localities from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City threw waste from the holiday into local waterways.
This has added to already significant pollution of ponds, lakes, canals and rivers in the two biggest cities of Vietnam.
In addition to releasing the traditional carp into the water, people also released plastic bags and other trash into the water. Incense ash, old sand from the censers and garbage bags were also thrown in.
Saigon River, in Ho Chi Minh City, along with canals and lakes in Hoang Van Thu park, and ponds around Phuc Hai pagoda were also contaminated by the waste.
Lakes, ponds and the Red River in Hanoi were also affected.
Hoang Thi Phung from Ho Chi Minh City said, “I’m not sure whether or not Kitchen God can fly through the sky on a yellow carp, but I can’t stand seeing Sai Gon River being polluted in this way.”
Aftermath of the festival of Kitchen God:
Running toss
Releasing yellow carps
Pouring ashes
Plastic bags pollute water and harm ecosystem
Unabashed littering
Floating censers
Black water
Waste everywhere
Carp set free, but into what?
Carp caught after a short time free
