Pollution soils city's economic record; Ho Chi Minh City is seen as the engine room of the nation's economy, fuelling a relentless drive to become a r

It would be a great shame if Ho qChi Minh City became known not only for driving the country's economic development, but for polluting the environment.

A recent survey conducted by the municipal department of science, technology and environment, or DoSTE, shows that the city currently has about 30,000 industrial manufacturing establishments discharging 155,000 cubic metres of waste water daily.

Nearly 3,000 tonnes of waste gas and some 4,000 tonnes of solid waste are also discharged untreated every year, the survey revealed.

"There are many reasons for the situation, including capital, technology, planning and law,