A group of senior
officials and experts gathered in central China’s Wuhan City on
September 25 to discuss environmental issues related to the Three
Gorges Dam Project. There are many potentially harmful problems
that will affect the ecology and cause catastrophe unless timely
preventive measures are taken, according to them.
The Three Gorges Dam has
served as a barrier against seasonal flooding that annually
threatens the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. But its impact on
the ecology along the river has become noticeable.
According to Huang Xuebin, an expert from the Ministry of Land and
Resources, regular geological disasters have seriously threatened
the lives of the residents in the Three Gorges Reservoir area.
Landslides falling into the river can create waves dozens of meters
high that crash into surrounding shores, affecting areas dozens of
kilometers away. ?
The water quality of
Yangtze River tributaries has deteriorated after the reservoir
began to store water, along with drinking water resources for
residents in the river valley. This is causing locals to worry.
The ecological
environment in the reservoir area is fragile, according to Wang
Xiaofeng, Director of the General Office of the Three Gorges Dam
Project Construction Committee under the State Council. Regular
natural disasters, soil erosion and conflicts over land shortages
and irrational development have all contributed to ecological
deterioration.
The local governments suggest that laws governing the management
of the Three Gorges Reservoir and relevant environmental protection
programs be enacted as soon as possible. Experts attending the
meeting also made appeals for long-term disaster prevention and
control mechanisms to be established in the reservoir area, along
with a guarantee of efficient maintenance of the completed treatment programs.
(China.org.cn by Yang Xi, September 26, 2007)
