The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has approved a plan to allocate over VND8.5 billion (US$359,635) to hire a unit responsible for collecting garbage from the Saigon River until the end of this year.
According to the Tuoi Tre Newspaper, the responsibility of collecting garbage from the river will be assigned to the Department of Transport and relevant agencies.
As per the plan, the city will conduct garbage and debris collection on the river every two days.
Previously, the Department of Transport proposed using six modern machines to collect garbage and debris along a 6.2-kilometer stretch of the river, starting from the intersection with Te Canal up to the Saigon Bridge.
To prevent trash and water hyacinth from getting stuck around bridge piers, the city will also utilize buoys connected by steel wires.
It is expected that around 1,800 metric tons of garbage will be collected from the river by the end of this year.
According to the Department of Transport, the section of the river mentioned in the plan, stretching from Binh Thanh District to District 4, is a prominent area that includes well-known landmarks such as Nha Rong Harbor, Bach Dang Wharf, and Ba Son Bridge.
Consequently, the removal of garbage from this section will not only contribute to the city’s tourism development but also enhance the overall cityscape.
The Te Canal in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City
Since 2021, the city has implemented a similar garbage collection plan on a 17-kilometer section from Vam Thuat River to Tham Luong Canal, achieving a collection and treatment rate of nearly 90 percent for the garbage along that route.
The Department of Transport has reported positive results from the implementation of new technologies for garbage collection in rivers and canals, the Tuoi Tre Newspaper reported.