People travel on Chuong Duong Bridge which is covered in dense fog on December 2.
Monitoring data over recent days show Hanoi consistently ranking among the world’s ten most polluted cities. Many inner-city districts such as Thanh Xuan, Le Duan, Tay Ho and Vinh Tuy are seeing pollution levels harmful to public health.
The Department of Education and Training has been instructed to inform schools and advise them to suspend or reschedule outdoor activities during hours or days when air quality reaches poor levels. If the air quality index (AQI) hits 301 or more, schools may temporarily suspend classes or adjust timings.
The Hanoi municipal government issued a directive calling for urgent measures to curb air pollution in the city. The Department of Agriculture and Environment is urged to deploy remote monitoring technologies such as drones, a dedicated mobile application, social media and other tools to detect and strictly penalise illegal burning of waste, straw, rice husks and other agricultural by-products.
At the same time the city will strengthen oversight of waste treatment sites to ensure stable operation and prevent dust or odour emissions during reception and processing.
The Department of Construction has been instructed to require all building contractors to implement strict dust-control measures at all construction sites. It must also lead pilot trials of mist-spraying technology to reduce dust in residential areas, parks and along traffic roads. Working together with local police and communal authorities, it will organise inspections targeting construction and transport activities likely to generate dust.
The traffic police will intensify inspections and strictly punish unlawful burning of industrial waste or household garbage, especially in craft villages, village clusters or areas bordering the city.
Hanoi will raise the frequency of street sweeping and dust vacuuming, while deploying specialised water-spraying vehicles to clean main traffic arteries and urban gateways. Road washing and dust suppression are to be prioritised during off-peak hours, typically at night or early morning before 6 am.
The Department of Ethnic Affairs and Religion will launch a campaign urging religious institutions and the public to refrain from burning joss paper.
Meanwhile the Hanoi health department will prepare public guidance and coordinate with relevant agencies to advise residents, particularly the elderly, children and those with respiratory conditions, to avoid outdoor exercise early in the morning or late at night and to wear masks when outdoors during periods of poor air quality.
