While handsomely investing in the improvement of Guangzhou's infrastructure, municipal government officials say they will spare no efforts to improve the city's living environment and quality of life this year.
Guangzhou will invest 600 million yuan (US$72 million) for 96 downtown horticultural and tree-planting projects, and lawns covering more than 5 million square meters, said Gan Xin, director-general of the city's development and planning commission.
The official released the investment plan at a conference yesterday on the city's key project construction in 2004.
The investment will raise the vegetated public land to 15.86 square meters per capita from the present 8.59 square meters.
And the municipal authorities will earmark 28 million yuan (US$3.37 million) for civil engineering and equipment installation on projects related to the comprehensive treatment of the Pearl River water and another 10.40 million yuan (US$1.25 million) for the civil engineering of a garbage-combustion power plant this year.
The projects related to the comprehensive treatment of the Pearl River water include drainage pipeline systems of four large sewage disposal plants, the third-phase project of Liede Sewage Treatment System, and Guangzhou Hazardous Waste Safe Disposal Center.
The projects are expected to treat 400,000 tons of sewage and 45,000 tons of harmful solid wastes a year, enhancing the city's sewage treatment rate to 70 per cent.
And the garbage-combustion power plant is expected to incinerate household garbage of 900 tons daily and to generate power of 13.10 gigawatt-hours annually.
The official said that municipal authorities will kick off preparatory work for three medical service facilities, an opera house and a library this year.
The Guangzhou Medical Treatment Center for Women and Children, Guangzhou Disease Control and Prevention Center, the relocation and reconstruction of Guangzhou No 8 Hospital, Guangzhou Opera House and the Guangzhou New Library are among the projects scheduled for this year.
The government has listed 39 items as key projects, with an investment of 25 billion yuan (US$3.01 billion).
(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2004)
