The Hanoi People's Committee has instructed the Department of Agriculture and Environment to coordinate with authorities in Tu Liem and Dai Mo wards and other relevant agencies to investigate and address the illegal occupation of land along the Nhue River.
The directive follows recent media reports highlighting hundreds of workshops, warehouses and makeshift structures built within the river's protection corridor.
A series of workshops have sprung up close to the edge of the Nhue River (Photo: Nguyen Hai).
According to the reports, waste, discarded materials and construction debris have been piled up along sections of the riverbank, narrowing the riverside space and raising safety concerns.
Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh ordered authorities to urgently verify the reported violations and take action in accordance with the law.
The city also directed agencies to impose strict penalties where breaches are found and to review the responsibility of organisations and individuals involved if misconduct or negligence is identified.
Earlier reports described severe pollution along sections of the Nhue River flowing through Tu Liem and Dai Mo wards, with domestic and industrial wastewater contributing to environmental degradation.
The river's flood-control corridor has also been encroached upon by numerous workshops and temporary structures.
Many of the buildings, constructed with steel frames and corrugated metal roofs, are being used as warehouses or rented out for industrial purposes.
Some workshops have opened direct access points towards the riverbank, creating routes for the disposal of rubbish and industrial waste.
Rows of corrugated iron roofs crowd the bank of the Nhue River as it passes through Tu Liem Ward (Photo: Nguyen Hai).
Site inspections found piles of plastic bags, discarded materials and household waste behind several riverside facilities, adding to concerns over environmental pollution and the deterioration of the river's surroundings.