An Giang: Residents of Long Xuyen eagerly await the commencement of construction on unfinished canals.

For many years, residents living along the Cai Son, Ba Bau, and Ong Manh canals in Long Xuyen ward, An Giang province, have suffered from the foul odor emanating from these canals. The unfinished canal renovation projects have negatively impacted the residents' daily lives and transportation.

The general pollution situation of Cai Son Canal, Ba Bau Canal, and Ong Manh Canal.

In June 2021, residents of My Xuyen, Dong Xuyen, My Phuoc, My Quy, and My Hoa wards in Long Xuyen city, An Giang province (now Long Xuyen ward) were overjoyed when the People's Committee of Long Xuyen city held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction packages "Construction and renovation of Cai Son canal" and "Construction and renovation of Ong Manh and Ba Bau canals".

This project is part of the "Vietnam Urban Expansion and Upgrading Project - Long Xuyen City Sub-project" under Group B; it is a technical infrastructure, transportation, and agricultural project, and rural development project of levels II and III, implemented from 2018-2023. The Provincial People's Committee is the investment decision-making body, and the Long Xuyen City People's Committee is the investor.

The current state of the Ba Bau canal shows iron pillars stuck in the canal bed.

The project to renovate the three canals alone has a total investment of 350 billion VND, using ODA loan funds. The project will open up urban aesthetics, create a clean, green, and beautiful environment, and promote a healthy lifestyle for local residents.

Therefore, when the project started, the households with houses near the canal were happy because, for a long time, the canal had not been renovated, and the stagnant water had become black and smelly. In addition, people lacked awareness and continued to dump wastewater and garbage into the canal, making the smell even worse over time.

The renovation project for the Cai Son, Ong Manh, and Ba Bau canals was expected to be completed by the end of 2023. However, in the final days of 2023, residents were surprised when the contractor stopped construction and then left completely.

The dirt road beside the Ba Bau canal gets flooded during the rainy season because the water doesn't drain quickly enough.

The abandoned construction work has left behind a mess, with the canals remaining clogged and becoming dumping grounds for dirty water, garbage, and overgrown vegetation, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes. During the rainy season, many sections of the canals rise and flood the roads, affecting people's travel, while in the dry season, foul odors from the wastewater rise into the air.

Before the province was merged, during meetings with constituents, some opinions were raised regarding this issue. The constituents were explained that the main reasons for the delays, even though some components of the project were over 65% complete, were primarily due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, material shortages, and price increases.

At the Long Xuyen ward voter consultation meeting in May 2026, voter Phan Van Chanh raised concerns about the situation and consequences of the delayed progress of the three canal projects. Mr. Chanh stated the reality: the projects have been abandoned, left unfinished, and stalled for many years.

Cai Son Canal receives wastewater from many places.

Consequently, serious environmental pollution has occurred. The practice of digging deeper into the canals and then leaving them uncovered has resulted in severe water pollution, emitting foul odors and seriously affecting the health and quality of life of many households in the surrounding areas.

The transportation infrastructure is deteriorating, the canal banks are being dug up haphazardly, detracting from the urban landscape; the roads on both sides of the canal are damaged, making travel very difficult and posing a potential traffic safety risk.

Responding to voters' concerns, Mr. Lam Quang Thi, Secretary of Long Xuyen Ward, informed that the ward has repeatedly petitioned higher authorities on this issue and has received a definitive solution.

Specifically, the People's Committee of An Giang province has officially transferred the project to the Provincial Investment Project Management Board as the new investor. From there, a comprehensive assessment and audit of all completed work will be conducted to serve as the basis for implementing the next construction phase.

The section of Rach Ong Manh canal where it meets the Long Xuyen River is temporarily free from pollution.

Thus, the project to dredge and reinforce the banks of the three canals, Ong Manh, Ba Bau, and Cai Son, will officially resume; the field construction work to complete the remaining items will be simultaneously implemented.

Returning to these canals, we observed that at the beginning of the Long Xuyen River, the Ong Manh canal meets the Long Xuyen River, so the water is quite clear. However, driving along the canal, for more than 600 meters, the water flow is blocked, and the further inland we go, the more water hyacinths, weeds, and wild vegetables grow, covering the entire canal bed.

Deep inside Ong Manh canal, the current situation is that it is overgrown with grass and aquatic plants, completely covering the area.

As for Rach Ba Bau, although its head connects to the Long Xuyen River, it is not yet connected to the river, so the water in the canal is foul-smelling, and further inside, it is still covered with water hyacinths and weeds. Many rusty construction iron blocks protrude from the water hyacinths.

At Rach Cai Son, a local resident said that the canal carries wastewater from former wards like My Quy, My Phuoc, and My Long, but the water doesn't flow properly, so it always smells foul. Fortunately, the abundance of water hyacinths and wild vegetables helps to filter and settle the unpleasant odor, but this also breeds mosquitoes...

Residents living along the canal are hoping that the project will resume soon, so that the canal can be cleared, restoring the urban aesthetics of Long Xuyen, and ensuring a better environment so that people can feel more secure about their health.

TRAN THANH DUNG

Source: https://nhandan.vn/an-giang-nguoi-dan-long-xuyen-mong-moi-som-thi-cong-cac-con-rach-do-dang-post964338.html