The management of Beijing's Old Summer Palace is to be given 40 days to submit an environmental impact report on its controversial, multimillion-yuan restoration project.
The State Environmental Protection Administration (Sepa) had asked the park's managers to submit the report as soon as possible. But on its website yesterday, the environmental watchdog said it would impose the deadline because the park had been unable to find a qualified person to conduct the assessment.
Sepa would deliver the ultimatum in the next day or two.
Controversy over the restoration project centres on plans to line a 1.5 sq km lake with plastic sheeting to prevent water seeping out and to allow for a paddle boat business.
Media reports about the project, approved in 2003 by the Haidian district government, triggered outrage from the public and academics over potential damage to the park's fragile environment.
Sepa condemned the project as illegal early last month because park management had not conducted an environmental impact assessment as required by law. About 82 million yuan of the 200 million yuan budget had already been spent before work ground to a halt a month ago.
