As economic development drives up demand for land in coastal
provinces Chinese officials have announced rigorous measures to
control projects which involve land reclamation.
"Projects involving infilling and sea enclosures will not be
approved unless hearings are held and the projects thoroughly
discussed," Lin Shanqing, a senior official with the State Oceanic
Administration said?in Beijing?on Sunday.
Infilling would be strictly banned in the natural habitats of
marine life and birds, Lin said and cited a regulation published on
Friday by the government on protecting oceanic environments from
construction pollution.
Lin said rapid economic growth in coastal areas had inevitably
brought about land shortages which consequently prompted the demand
for reclamation. "Such activities have caused great damage to the
ocean environment."
Early reports said sea enclosures and infill projects since the
1960s had destroyed almost 70 percent of the country's mangrove
forests -- the tropical evergreen shrub which acts as a buffer
against tsunamis and storm surges.
Lin cited a dam development in the Jiaodong Peninsula in east
China saying the project had resulted in the extinction of sea
cucumbers in a bay of the peninsula which was the animal's natural
habitat.
He said violators of the new regulation would face punishment,
restoration orders and a minimum fine of 50,000 yuan (US$6,300).
The regulation will take effect on December 1.
An annual report on the ocean environment issued by the State
Oceanic Administration early this year said nearly 50 percent of
China's territorial seas were polluted.
(Xinhua News Agency October 9, 2006)