Mr. Nguyen Dinh Khuyen: This is a historic moment for the development of West Lake.

More than ever, now West Lake, the most beautiful landscape of Hanoi , is receiving great public attention, with expectations of its rise as a unique destination in the capital. Of course, these expectations do not appear naturally. After the West Lake Management Board under the People's Committee of Tay Ho District was launched on January 31, in addition to the joy when this landscape is no longer in a state of "five fathers and three mothers", West Lake has now been officially recognized in the future development of Hanoi in the most important directions. Thoi Dai had an interview with Mr. Nguyen Dinh Khuyen, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tay Ho District about the work related to the West Lake development project, and the concerns during the implementation process.

-Sir, with the huge amount of work on West Lake, what will the District People's Committee prioritize to soon improve the landscape and environment of this special area?

- It can be said that the development of West Lake is a large, complex project, involving many different sectors and fields and is integrated into a comprehensive development program of the capital Hanoi. Therefore, the workload is huge, covering many aspects. Therefore, we are very aware that we cannot concentrate enough resources to implement it if we just present all the tasks and deploy them simultaneously. Therefore, the District will immediately prioritize some very practical contents, with high feasibility and immediate results.

-What exactly, sir?

- Regarding the lake's water environment, we will first check all the wastewater discharge points. It's okay for rainwater to overflow, but domestic water must be led to a treatment point before being discharged into the lake. Currently, West Lake has 91 points, with 77 rainwater points having no problem, the rest are being checked by the functional department. Due to the important nature of the work, even though we want it to be done soon, we cannot rush. Therefore, it is planned to submit the drainage project around June 2024 after a thorough review, not this April.

Ông Nguyễn Đình Khuyến: Đây là thời điểm lịch sử với sự phát triển của hồ Tây

Chairman of Tay Ho District People's Committee Nguyen Dinh Khuyen affirmed that the district always listens with a receptive spirit to all opinions contributing to the implementation of the West Lake development project.

Along with that, this month the District will organize a workshop on bringing Red River water into West Lake. This is an important issue, requiring careful and detailed consultation with scientists in order to have a comprehensive assessment. On that basis, the next steps will be specifically established, such as calculating the compensation options, determining the location of the access road, etc. In addition, the District will also coordinate with specialized agencies to carry out other necessary tasks, such as handling hybrid fish that are not suitable for West Lake, such as tilapia. Along with that, dredging work from the edge of the lake to about 15m - 20m will also be carried out.

-That's about the water environment, but what about the environment in general, sir?

- Regarding air environment, the District will coordinate with the Hanoi Environmental Protection Department, the Hanoi Urban Traffic Management Agency and other relevant agencies to conduct a careful and accurate assessment of the air quality around West Lake. This is very important, because it is necessary to determine the exact cause, and then handle it.

- As for the landscape around West Lake, sir, what work will the District immediately implement in this important area?

-We are reviewing 12 streets, and next June there will be a list of lighting around the lake including walking paths and decorations. Regarding walking paths, in reality, there are some areas with traffic jams such as Trich Sai, Nguyen Dinh Thi... The district will consider reducing the flower garden to increase traffic area, or with the location adjacent to the flower valley, we will open more than 100m of dual carriageway to facilitate traffic...

-As the head of the Tay Ho District government, perhaps the specific tasks mentioned above are not your biggest concerns when starting to realize the West Lake development project?

-We all know that West Lake will be a highlight of Hanoi in the future. So how to develop West Lake, in what overall context, and in what key points in the capital's development strategy... are all very big issues, and pose many challenges. In fact, we are always aware that this is a historic moment with a turning point in the development of West Lake in particular and in connection with Hanoi in general.

-Can you elaborate on this aspect?

- I am not exaggerating when I say this. According to the Master Plan for the Capital, Hanoi has 5 development spatial axes, and almost all of them are related to West Lake. Of which, the most prominent are the West Lake - Ba Vi axis; the West Lake - Co Loa axis, and the other axes are all connected to West Lake. In fact, when talking about Hanoi, we are talking about Hoan Kiem Lake and West Lake, but with the current characteristics, West Lake has a lot of room and conditions for development. Therefore, this is truly a very special time in the history of West Lake's development.

-How do you personally feel the pressure?

-That is a huge challenge, because we all know that West Lake is not simply a normal place. In addition to history, landscape, cultural traditions... there are also political factors. Therefore, developing West Lake in what order, operating with what processes to be suitable and effective is quite a complicated job.

-A specific example, sir?

- For example, the renovation of Thanh Nien Street landscape. With this project, which direction we approach, what goals we aim for is a difficult question that needs to be answered properly, because with this plan, if this aspect is achieved, it may affect another aspect! We have also consulted the experience of Hue, Da Nang and are still in the process of continuing research. Therefore, the general spirit of sensitive matters in West Lake is that the District advocates asking for opinions from all sectors, plus ensuring the highest level of publicity and transparency, only then can we concentrate collective intelligence and harmoniously meet the goals.

-Investing in West Lake requires a large amount of financial resources. What is your direction on this issue?

- Financial resources for the development of West Lake have always been a big problem for the District. In fact, the city has also created favorable conditions when planning to allocate tens of thousands of billions of VND to the District. This is a great support from the city, but that is why we are very concerned about the overall balance of Hanoi. That is why the District has proposed a solution to retain 60% of the revenue from land use fees to serve investment in this field.

-What about socialization, sir?

- Socialization is another story. There are projects like the 1.8-hectare park near Tay Ho Palace with a beautiful location, with 4 road frontages, ready for businesses to invest immediately. But there are not many such projects. With large-scale park projects, complex architecture, requiring underground parking... investors are not always ready. Therefore, with such projects, the District must calculate other options such as the budget will participate in which stages, and what form of business is needed to be suitable for businesses to boldly invest.

-In the near future, West Lake will be a prominent destination for domestic and international tourists. What is your opinion on the sustainable exploitation of this scenic spot?

- We should not focus too much on the economy, because if we only think about the economy, it will affect other goals. Personally, I think we need to look at the past to draw lessons in the management, exploitation and long-term development of West Lake. In each period, the proportion of revenue from tourism services may change, but this issue must be considered very carefully when deciding. Currently, according to Decision 02/2024/QD-UBND of Hanoi City, there are 10 types of business allowed, but at the moment we do not want to go into this.

-What do you expect from West Lake in the future?

-West Lake will be one of the prominent symbols of Hanoi, a symbol containing the values of the thousand-year-old capital and a vision for the future.

-Thank you very much!

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