Work on the cleaning of the lower reaches of a river that flows through the northern part of Beijing got underway on Wednesday as the city progresses plans to improve the environment around the Olympic Park being built for the 2008 Games. ?

 

The project, costing 640 million yuan (US$80 million), will clear away silt, improve the water quality and concrete banks will be built along the Qinghe River, a spokesman with the Beijing Municipal Water Authority said. The current work is the second phase of the clean up operation and should be finished by the end of next year, he added.

 

Last year local government cleaned up the upper reaches of the Qinghe River which flows from the Biyun Temple in the western suburbs of Beijing, he said.

 

The Olympic Park will cover 1,085 hectares including a 680-hectare forest and a 405-hectare national sports center which will host field hockey, archery and tennis competitions during 2008 Olympics.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2006)