District seeks Hà Nội assistance for West Lake makeover

A view of the West Lake. — Photo tienphong.vn

HÀ NỘI — Tây Hồ District has submitted a plan to the Hà Nội City government for dredging and cleaning up West Lake at a cost of VNĐ4 trillion (US$171 million).

It will need around VNĐ2 trillion ($82 million) to dredge and improve the landscape around it, VNĐ1.6 trillion ($65 million) for new landing stages and VNĐ600 billion ($24 million) for installing water fountains and some other facilities.

The district said it would spend around VNĐ1.2 trillion ($49 million) and expects the city to cover the remaining $122 million.

Besides, it said it would undertake work to clean up the water to improve conditions for the creatures living in it, and closely oversee cultural, sports and tourism activities around the lake and fish farming in it. 

As part of the work, it will appraise the lake’s eco-system and take measures to keep everything in balance, including controlling the number of invasive carp and other fish species introduced to its eco-system. 

Between 2011 to 2016 Tây Hồ District implemented four projects to dig up the lake and remove 440,000cu.m of mud from bed at a cost of VNĐ128 billion ($5 million).

But the dredging stalled at the section near Thanh Niên Road after there were mass fish deaths there.

Westlake spans over 500ha and has a shoreline stretching more than 17km.

A study by the district found it had rich aquatic life with 72 floating plant species, 47 types of algae, 37 surface-dwelling creatures, and 29 that live at the bottom. — VNS