Over June 13-14, a number of roads in central wards of Dalat, Lam Dong Province, were affected by mounting waste after the city's collection and treatment system was disrupted.
Rubbish piled up, causing pollution along Phu Dong Thien Vuong Street (Photo: Minh Hau).
Nguyen Van Nam, a resident of Lu Gia Street in Lam Vien-Dalat Ward, said rubbish had accumulated at collection points for two consecutive days, producing unpleasant smells and leaking contaminated water onto nearby streets.
"Dalat is a major tourist destination, so we hope the authorities will quickly find a solution to protect the environment and the city's image," Nam said.
According to Dantri/Dtinews reporters, large piles of uncollected waste were visible at collection points along several central streets, including Nguyen Van Cu, Phu Dong Thien Vuong, Le Hong Phong and Trieu Viet Vuong streets, as well as around the Dalat Night Market area.
The accumulation of waste created serious environmental concerns in some of the city's busiest locations.
A rubbish collection point in Lam Vien Ward-Dalat Ward (Photo: Minh Hau).
Dalat Urban Services Joint Stock Company said the disruption began at 6 pm on June 13 when the Dalat Solid Waste Treatment Plant, operated by Green Energy Environment Co., Ltd. in Xuan Truong-Dalat Ward, announced it would temporarily suspend waste intake.
As a result, dozens of garbage trucks were forced to queue outside the facility while awaiting permission to unload.
According to a notice issued by the company on June 12, the suspension followed a request from the Civil Judgment Enforcement Division No. 1 of Lam Dong Province to restrict debit transactions from the company's bank accounts from June 11.
The company said the restrictions prevented it from making payments for fuel, food supplies, machinery maintenance and other operational expenses, making it impossible to continue operating the plant.
On the morning of June 14, officials from Xuan Truong-Dalat Ward and relevant agencies met with representatives of the waste treatment plant and urged the company to resume operations in order to ease pressure on central wards of Dalat.
Tran Thi Vu Loan, chairwoman of the People's Committee of Xuan Huong-Dalat Ward, said the plant had reopened and resumed receiving and processing waste by 9.30 am on June 14.
Authorities expect the backlog of rubbish to be cleared quickly, restoring environmental conditions and public cleanliness across the city.
Built on a 28-hectare site, the Dalat Solid Waste Treatment Plant has been operating since 2015 and processes an average of 350-370 tonnes of waste per day for the Dalat urban area.
The facility has previously suspended operations on several occasions due to disputes and issues related to waste treatment pricing.
