 |
|
| New dam faces opposition |
| CCTV.COM 2003-08-04 08:08:55 |
|
Dujiangyan, or Dujiang Dam, is the oldest water conservation project still operating in the world. A famous water conservancy project in ancient China, Dujiang Dam was built over 2,200 years ago. In addition to its irrigation functions, the Dujiang Dam is also a beautiful tourist site listed as a "World Cultural Heritage" site by UNESCO. However, a recent construction proposal has aroused special attention from both local residents and heritage protection experts.
Dujiang Dam is located in the middle and upper reaches of the Minjiang River 40－kilometer from Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan Province in Southwest China. The dam separates the turbulent river into outer and inner channels, the former serving as a drainage system to prevent floods and the latter leading water off to irrigate farmlands.
The Dujiang Dam Administration Bureau has proposed to build another dam about 1,300 meters away in the upper reaches of the Dujiang Dam. Named Yangliuhu Dam, the project requires an investment of 0.5 billion yuan, or over 60 million US dollars. The new project has been greeted with objections ever since it was made public, though local authorities argue that it won't affect the function of the original Dujiang Dam. The Dujiang Dam administration bureau said the Yangliuhu project is expected to alleviate the shortage of irrigation water in the area. However, people are concerned whether the construction will destroy the beauty of the UNESCO listed world cultural heritage site and damage the environment.
"This is a very beautiful tourist attraction. It is also a very important cultural heritage site. The building of the Yangliuhu Dam will impair the beauty of the area," said Qian Zhenyue, senior consultant of Ministry of Construction.
In the face of opposition, local authorities ordered another two feasibility studies in April and June this year. An expert team consisting of members from the Ministry of Construction and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage have left for Dujiang Dam for further feasibility studies.
|
|
Editor: Han Ling CCTV.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
