Environment
Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal to be drained to prevent pollution
  • | dtinews.vn | April 20, 2017 08:39 AM
HCM City has decided to drain some water from the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal to reduce pollution and save the fish.

  

Fish die in Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal

According to the city Centre of the Urban Flood Control Program, one of the solutions to reduce pollution and number of dead fish in the canal is to drain the wastewater in the sewer and water in the canal to Sai Gon River.

The pump system with the capacity of 64,000 cubic metres per hour will work non-stop from April to November. Water from Sai Gon River will be pumped into the canal to dilute the polluted water. The centre will work with Urban Drainage Company to dredge the sewers to limit the number of pollutants that will be directly discharged into the canal during rains.

For the past three years, many fish have died in the canal. Last year, nearly 10 tonnes of fish died during the transition from the dry to rainy season. This number was 20 tonnes in 2015 and 70 tonnes in 2016.

After several off-season rainstorms, the fish is dying again this year. The authorities used chemicals to clean the place. The representative of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment suggested reconsidering the role of the canal, which should be used as a drainage or inland waterway rather than aquaculture farming site.

There is a proposal to reduce a third of 470 tonnes of fish living in the canal, most of them are tilapia. A vast amount of fish have been released by the people on special occasions and multiplied as tilapia has a fast breeding rate. The canal is overloaded and can't provide enough space and food to the fish.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was asked to gather opinions from other agencies and experts to draft a plan to reduce the amount of fish.

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