Residents block road to stop dust-billowing lorries

BÌNH ĐỊNH — Hundreds of residents from Quy Nhơn in the central province of Bình Định have been setting up blockades over the past two days along a section of Highway 1A to prevent dust-billowing lorries from passing through Bùi Thị Xuân Ward.

The lorries, running to Long Mỹ Industrial Zone in Phước Mỹ Commune, have allegedly been causing pollution for two years.

The blockade caused tail-backs stretching nearly one kilometre.

Phan Hồng Nguyên, a local resident, said that he had opened a restaurant but had to close it three months ago due to dirt kicked up by the trucks, leaving his family in financial difficulties.

Huỳnh Thị Ngọc Thu, 48, another resident, said that her restaurant also had to close two months ago due to the pollution.

“I had to spray water on the ground all the time to limit the dust, which ended up costing me millions of đồng per month on water bills,” said Thu. (VNĐ1 million equals US$44).

The issue is not so bad during the rainy season, but for the rest of the time dust covers Thu’s house and furniture.

A Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent said that the road was seriously degraded and that every day lorries transporting soil, sand, agricultural products and other goods left clouds of dust.

Nguyễn Thị Tường Vi, chairwoman of Bùi Thị Xuân Ward People’s Committee, said that local residents had reported the issue to the committee numerous times.

In April this year, the committee invited several companies from the industrial zone, which often uses lorries to transport soil and sand by road, to work with the committee, and signed a commitment to spray water daily across the road to limit dust.

The companies adhered to the agreement in the short term, but then reverted back to their old ways.

The committee had reported the case to Quy Nhơn People’s Committee, Vi said.

In the short term, the committee will set up a barrier before the Phú Tài Industrial Zone to limit the number of trucks passing through.

In the long term, the committee has asked higher authorities to upgrade the road. — VNS