|
Conference eyes urbanisation
A two-day conference to discuss sustainability in big cities and the problems of rocketing urbanisation in Viet Nam concluded in HCM City yon Tuesday.
Discussions focused on overcrowding, traffic congestion, housing shortages, hospitals, schools and high level pollution.
"HCM City will put sustainable urbanisation into its strategic research system," said Le Hoang Quan, chairman of the city People's Committee who opened the conference attended by about 100 scientists and researchers from Ha Noi, Hue and HCM City.
According to Dr Gregor Wessels, Managing Director of ITS Consulting company, big cities in Viet Nam have six main weaknesses: the increasing numbers of motorbikes and automobiles and accompanying pollution; poor roads and railway systems; limited green spaces, and the effects of climate change like increasing flooding; traffic chaos; and lack of areas for culture and entertainment.
"In the future, cities should consider the impacts of climate change and design plans to deal with it," said Professor and architect Tran Ngoc Chinh, Chairman of the Viet Nam Urban Master Planning Association.
He also suggested that big cities should accelerate the construction of their metros to reduce traffic congestion.
Professor Dang Hung Vo pointed out three elements for modern urban development: real estate institutions, regulations for technical infrastructure development and State policies to interfere in some special fields.
"However, all three elements in Viet Nam are seen as inadequate," Professor Vo said.
He explained that regulations for ground clearance and compensation aren't detailed and clear enough.
"In many cases, investors can't deploy their construction because residents don't want to leave. But in others, inhabitants have suffered because of low compensation leading to time consuming lawsuits," he said.
He suggested the benefit should be balanced between the State, investors and inhabitants by creating funds to support residents or they could contribute their land for development.
Shigehisa Matsumura of Nikken Sekkei Research Institute in Japan confirmed that it is very important to publicly announce all information relating to authorities and inhabitants.
"Providing information will bring sustainability if all related persons and authorities understand the rights and responsibilities for the land where they live," Matsumura said.
Professor Nguyen Lan, General Secretary of the Viet Nam Cities Association, stressed that under the World Bank standards, a sustainable city should have strong competition, good living conditions, healthy finance and perfect management.
"Human beings should be the centre for sustainability. We should balance economic development and natural environment, people and technology; designate the role of inhabitants in the development process and maintain good community living standards," said Dr Nguyen Minh Hoa from the HCM City's Social Science and Humanity University.
"HCM City must speed up its research to find the best model for sustainability and a solution for climate change," Nguyen Thanh Tai, Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee, concluded the conference.
vietnamnews
|
