As one of the areas that urgently implement the task of building civilized urban wards, the localities in Ha Dong district have thoroughly communicated the guidelines and criteria of urban civilized wards to the local Party committees and mass organizations to create implementation consensus in its whole political system. According to the Culture and Information Office of Ha Dong district, the district has implemented the construction of wards up to urban civilization standards in 5 wards, including: Van Quan, Mo Lao, Ha Cau, Phu La, and Phu Lam. Regulations on urban civilized wards have been around for a long time, but the plan has given rise to a new impetus. All wards are actively implementing it. However, it will not be until 2023 that the district will carry out an assessment and give comments on which localities are likely to complete the plan. The district strives to have 2 wards that meet urban civilization standards. The implementation has the effect of improving material and spiritual life, improving and maintaining discipline in the area.
Ba Dinh district chose Dien Bien ward to become a sample ward to build a ward up to urban civilization standards. Since its implementation, its environmental landscape and urban order have been much improved. Dien Bien ward has assigned tasks to specific forces, inspected and seriously treated street vendors who violated regulations, encroached sidewalks, roadways, etc. Along with the activities of the authorities, its Women’s Union regularly maintains environmental sanitation; participated in keeping the environment inside and outside the alleys clean; its Youth Union marched out to remove ads in alleys, streets and public places; renovate, paint and repair electrical cabinets, creating a more beautiful landscape on the streets, etc. The ward has built Nguyen Thai Hoc as a street for advertising. Up to now, it has treated 24 electronic signs and 22 normal signs that violate the regulations; and also organized propaganda and signing of commitment that 100% of organizations, individuals and business households on street fronts will well implement the criteria for building a sample street on urban civilization.
The wards to get the cultural title must have at least 85% of households and 75% of cultural residential groups without domestic violence to occur; no gambling, drug or prostitution venues; its people live and behave civilly and elegantly, do not stay topless, swear, fight, get drunk, cause public disorder., etc. By the end of 2021, the whole district had 5 wards that met the “cultural ward” standard. Achievement of the criteria of “Cultural wards” helps many localities step by step approach the criteria of urban civilized standard wards. Therefore, the Nhat Tan, Quang An wards, etc. are trying to “finish” the urban civilized standard ward as expected.
In order to improve quality of people’s lives and urban face, the Hanoi People’s Committee, on February 22, 2022, issued Plan No. 59/KH-UBND on improving quality of construction of wards and townships to urban civilization standards during 2022-2025. Hanoi has assigned the Department of Culture and Sports to be the permanent body to monitor its implementation. Currently, most localities have deployed it. However, in reality, many localities are still hesitant. The whole district has dozens of wards, but number of wards registering for urban civilization standards is still limited. Many localities stated its implementation as “challenging”.
Because in order to be an urban civilized ward, it has to satisfy 9 major criteria and dozens of component criteria, covering many aspects of economic, social and cultural life. The criteria for planning, construction, traffic, lighting, employment, etc. are basically “in reach”. But the most difficult criteria are those in culture and sports, for example: 90% of the residential groups of the wards and 80% of residential groups of the townships have venues for cultural and sports activities with regular and effective operation; or the Cultural House has secure facilities and equipment and is managed and used for the right purposes. This is impossible for most of the wards in the districts that do not have a land fund for construction.
In general, to solve this problem, close coordination between sectors and localities is required. Even, it is necessary to invite central agencies in the locality to participate and share with it to “surmount difficulties”, especially in land support.
Quynh Anh