Chinese political advisors have voiced views against excessive
hydropower development to save the nation's rivers from potential
environmental damages.
Excessive hydropower development could lead to ecological
damages and deteriorating water quality, according to Liu Dehong,
former vice director of the maritime bureau with the Ministry of
Communications, and five other members of National Committee of the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top
political advisory body.
They blamed the record low water levels in the middle and lower
reaches of the Yangtze River, the country's largest, partly on the
dozens of dams built on several of its tributaries including Jinsha
and Dadu rivers.
They said the relatively less water reserves can no longer
dilute pollutants as before, posing threat to people's drinking
water supplies.
Large amounts of farmland, forest and wetland have given way to
excessive construction of hydroelectricity projects, which are
often damaging to the ecosystems, they said.
They said that the construction of too many dams goes against
the concept of scientific and harmonious development. Such projects
often seek short-term economic returns at the cost of
environment.
Some dams on rivers like the Pearl River and Lancang River pose
threat to the life and property safety of the residents living
nearby in flooding seasons, according to the advisors.
They suggested the governments set up strict environmental
conservation criteria for the approval of new dam projects and
further boost the development of energy resources like wind power
and nuclear energy.
(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2007)