Dam building restraint urged

Deputy Environment Minister Wu Xiaoqing has urged caution amid a big dam-building frenzy on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, saying the lessons of past dam construction in China's southwest must be learned in the face of mounting environmental concerns and resettlement controversies.

Wu's remarks, at a media briefing in Beijing yesterday marking World Environment Day, came amid heated debate on the building of four mega-dams on the lower reaches of Jinsha (Yangtze) River and the Xiaonanhai dam in Chongqing.

While supporters often tout big dams as effective solutions to poverty and the country's power shortages, critics have pointed to rampant environmental and geological hazards and simmering tensions over relocation disputes among those evicted to make way for dams.

Wu expressed concern over the building of the Xiaonanhai dam, a contentious project widely known as a pet project of Bo Xilai , the disgraced former Communist Party chief in the southwestern municipality.

Even though the Xiaonanhai dam has been mired in controversies over its devastating impact on a nearby national fishery reserve, its poor economic feasibility and Bo's heavy involvement, its preparatory work was allowed to go ahead only two weeks after Bo's downfall in late March.

'We have been closely watching the project and attached lots of attention to the opinions of the media and various social groups,' Wu said.

He said the ministry had urged local authorities to make a careful decision after thoroughly reviewing the impact of the project.