Hanoi overgrown following cuts

Many streets in Hanoi are now covered with dense grass just over two months since local authorities halted spending on flower and grass cutting from July 1 this year to cut costs.

Work will only continue at gardens along the Hoan Kiem Lake and a few other major sites.

At a recent meeting, Hanoi People's Committee Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung said, that the capital city spent up to US$31.2 million a year on mowing grass and pruning plants.

Outsourced companies had led to increased costs and no discernable improvement in quality, Chung added.

So Chung ordered all local districts to halt flower trimming work from July 1 and it would only continue at gardens along the Hoan Kiem Lake and a few other major sites.

Municipal authorities have also decided to restructure the Hanoi Green Trees-Park Limited Company which will be responsible for planting green trees and grass and flower cutting in the city to improve management.

However, the restructuring work for the firm should be done quickly or the city would find it harder to deal with the problem.

n many streets, the grass has grown so high that it hides street signage.

Nguyen Van Tu in Phuc Tho District in Hanoi said he had taken advantage of the situation to often cut grass in some Hanoi streets to bring home to feed his cows. It takes him just 20 minutes to collect a bag of grass.