A worker waters flowers at 30/4 Park in HCM City. Nguyen Thien Nhan, secretary of the HCM City Party Committee, said the city would learn from international experience to become a green city by 2045. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) - Green urban planning in Ho Chi Minh City’sinner districts should be based on a long-term vision to avoid wastage of land,reduce pollution and improve people’s living standards, a top city leader hassaid.
Speaking at a recent conference, Secretary of the municipalParty Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan said the city’s urbanisation and populationgrowth rates are high while there is not enough land for greenery.
A number of public parks have been planned for years but have yet to be builtdue to a lack of funds, he said.
The city has to put greenery projects on the back burner since it has moreurgent needs like roads, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure, he said.
Most of the lands earmarked for the planned parks are inaccessible or empty,with uninhabited houses or factories that are being moved out of the city, oralong rivers and canals.
Nhan urged the city authorities to speed up work on the parks and said privatesector investment needs to be attracted. “Urban planning for green space mustadapt to climate change,” he said.
The official said the city would learn from international experiences shared atthe conference for making greening plans for the next 10 to 25 years and becomea green city by 2045.
Vo Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said in 1997,the Government had approved a greening plan for HCM City but it has notdeveloped detailed plans.
“Park management in the city remains lax.” Property developers often overlookgreenery norms to reduce costs, he added.
Chuah Hock Seong, a member of the Board of Director of the National Park ofSingapore, spoke about his experience in developing and managing greenery inthe world’s greenest country.
Singapore has a long-term strategy for greenery development involving theparticipation of both the Government and people. When it comes to constructionof buildings, Singapore is always focused on green space to better serve itspeople, he said.
According to the Department of Construction, at the end of last year, the cityhad 369 parks covering a total area of 491.16 hectares.
Since 2000, the city has only built two new parks, the 21ha Gia Dinh in Phu NhuanDistrict and the 9ha 23/9 in District 1. Most of the city’s parks are in theinner city.
Some districts have no public parks at all, like 9, 2, Thu Duc, Binh Tan, NhaBe, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi and Binh Chanh.
Turning his attention to public lighting, Nhan said the city centre lacks aplan for this, especially decorative lighting, promising an energy-savinglighting scheme for the city centre and each district would be developed soon.
Hundreds of business executives and policymakers participated in theinternational conference on planning orientations for urban greening, parks andlighting.
Organised by the municipal People’s Committee, it also sought to assess thecurrent status of parks and other green areas and urban lighting includingdecorative lighting in the city.-VNA
Speaking at a recent conference, Secretary of the municipalParty Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan said the city’s urbanisation and populationgrowth rates are high while there is not enough land for greenery.
A number of public parks have been planned for years but have yet to be builtdue to a lack of funds, he said.
The city has to put greenery projects on the back burner since it has moreurgent needs like roads, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure, he said.
Most of the lands earmarked for the planned parks are inaccessible or empty,with uninhabited houses or factories that are being moved out of the city, oralong rivers and canals.
Nhan urged the city authorities to speed up work on the parks and said privatesector investment needs to be attracted. “Urban planning for green space mustadapt to climate change,” he said.
The official said the city would learn from international experiences shared atthe conference for making greening plans for the next 10 to 25 years and becomea green city by 2045.
Vo Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said in 1997,the Government had approved a greening plan for HCM City but it has notdeveloped detailed plans.
“Park management in the city remains lax.” Property developers often overlookgreenery norms to reduce costs, he added.
Chuah Hock Seong, a member of the Board of Director of the National Park ofSingapore, spoke about his experience in developing and managing greenery inthe world’s greenest country.
Singapore has a long-term strategy for greenery development involving theparticipation of both the Government and people. When it comes to constructionof buildings, Singapore is always focused on green space to better serve itspeople, he said.
According to the Department of Construction, at the end of last year, the cityhad 369 parks covering a total area of 491.16 hectares.
Since 2000, the city has only built two new parks, the 21ha Gia Dinh in Phu NhuanDistrict and the 9ha 23/9 in District 1. Most of the city’s parks are in theinner city.
Some districts have no public parks at all, like 9, 2, Thu Duc, Binh Tan, NhaBe, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi and Binh Chanh.
Turning his attention to public lighting, Nhan said the city centre lacks aplan for this, especially decorative lighting, promising an energy-savinglighting scheme for the city centre and each district would be developed soon.
Hundreds of business executives and policymakers participated in theinternational conference on planning orientations for urban greening, parks andlighting.
Organised by the municipal People’s Committee, it also sought to assess thecurrent status of parks and other green areas and urban lighting includingdecorative lighting in the city.-VNA
VNA
