A new law on the prevention and control of desert land will come
into force on January 1.
It
aims to curb worsening soil erosion and desertification, as well as
the frequent occurrence of sandstorms and droughts in China, a
senior legislator said Wednesday.
The promulgation of the Law on the Prevention and Control of
Desertification will improve ecological safety by preventing
desertification and promoting the continuous economic and social
development, said Jiang Chunyun, vice-chairman of the Standing
Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC), at a
meeting Wednesday in Beijing.
Statistics from the State Forestry Administration (SFA) indicated
China's desertification area accounts for 17.6 percent of its total
land -- or 1.689 million square kilometers -- and is increasing by
2,460 square kilometers annually.
This has resulted in many rivers and lakes running dry, sinking
groundwater, flora recession and a plague of sandstorms and
droughts nationwide.
For example, the desertification is estimated to cause the loss of
54 billion yuan (US$6.5 billion) each year in direct economic
damage, and affects the lives of 400 million people in China.
To
counter the adverse situation, the nation has conducted restless
efforts to prevent and control desert land since the founding of
the People's Republic of China in 1949.
By
the end of last year, China has tamed more than 8.9 million
hectares of desert land following the launch of a national sand
control project in 1991, according to SFA Minister Zhou
Shengxian.
Zhou hailed the new law as a "powerful weapon" when cracking down
on the activities and crimes that destroy vegetation in desert
lands.
The law is the third forestry-related law in China, following the
forestry law and law on the protection of wild animals, Zhou
said.
The forestry administration also would make efforts to strengthen
the inspection system and execution of forestry laws, the minister
said.
To
push forward the implementation of the new law effectively, Jiang
urged that different sectors -- including forestry, agriculture,
water resources, land, meteorology and environmental protection
sectors -- to co-operate under the leadership of the forestry
authority of the State Council.
He
also demanded local governments and relevant departments at all
levels to take responsibility and co-operate closely on the
prevention of desertification.
Also, people's congresses at all levels and their standing
committees should enhance the supervision of the execution of the
new law, Jiang said.
The conference was co-sponsored by the Environmental and Resources
Protection Committee and Rural Affairs Committee under the NPC
Standing Committee, the Legislative Affairs Office under the State
Council and the SFA.
(China Daily December
20, 2001)