It is reported recently on Thanh Nien News that a new study from Ho Chi Minh City's environment department has found an increase in dust and toxic gas in many urban areas, warning that motorbike riders can be exposed to major health risks.
According to local media, the environment observation and analysis center measured the dust and carbon monoxide (CO) concentration and noise across the city. Although the situation looks brighter in the downtown, it has worsened in new urban areas in Districts 7 and Go Vap.
Vietnam currently does not have a proper management system for their transport. Not only is there an abundance of motorbikes in the city, these motorbikes are not tracked by the government. Many of the bikes are old and there is no regulations for the bikes to be inspected - either annually or once every 3 years, like what some other countries are doing.
This has resulted in many poorly maintained old motorbikes on the road. The population in HCMC is approaching 10 million with almost everyone above the age of 18 having a bike, it is no wonder why the air pollution problem is getting worse!
Talking about noise pollution is even funnier. I stayed along Nguyen Huu Canh road in Binh Thanh district. Every night at around 11pm till maybe 1am, the road will be opened for container trucks to operate. The road, mind you, isn't entirely smoothly tarred so you can expect the heavy trucks to experience a bumpy ride.
Can you imagine the noise?
My house windows are literally vibrating every 10 seconds when a truck passes by!
I believe to solve this problem, the Vietnam government should really planned out the routes for these huge container trucks. Operating at midnight when the traffic is low is good, but please - do not drive by residential areas for goodness sake!
