(Anova) - The polluted Thi Vai river, which was warned ten years ago, has not improved so far but also getting more serious. The pollution not only has bad effect upon the residents living around the river basin in Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces, but also upon clam fields in Can Gio district, Ho Chi Minh City.

Thi Vai river is a branch of Dong Nai river. Therefore, not only the clam farmers in Can Gio are influenced by the polluted water source, the farmers farming fish with crafts on Dong Nai river are also in the same situation.

Since 2002, Can Gio has the clam farming area of 2,800ha, including Long Hoa and Ly Nhon communes and Can Thanh town. Clam farming development has given contribution dealing with employment for many local laborers; many local people have become richer thanks to this occupation. In 2007, because of expanding the urban project encroaching on Can Gio Sea, the clam farming area reduced 600ha. At present, clam farming is mainly focused on Can Thanh town (1,165ha), Ly Nhon commune (300ha) and Long Hoa commune (164ha) with the capacity of 10-15 tons/ha. However, since December of 2007, the situation of mass of dead clam has occurred: about 750ha of clam influenced, 560 households damaged of meaty clam production and breeding clam valued 200 billion dong. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Luong – Head of Can Gio Department of Agriculture and Rural Development stated: there were places where the amount of dead clam was up to 70-80%, making many households cleared out and in debt. Can Gio is in the season of releasing clam breeds, but the farmers are waiting for the conclusion of function organs about the causes of the clam death before releasing.

The electors of Can Gio petitioned the city to request the local people of the two provinces ( Dong Nai and Ba Ria – Vung Tau), which Thi Vai river flows across, inclusive of Ministry of Resources and Environment, need to have measures to treat and prevent enterprises and industrial zones letting effluent out causing the pollution for the river. Mr. Bui Van Khe – member of Can Gio People Committee suggested the city to set up the information system of pollution status in order to recommend the people in farming clam as they still have a scattering of environmental information.

Kieu Phong
Source: SGTT

Translated by Vietfish Community