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Lanzhou strengthens water protection efforts

Updated: 2016-11-15
By Ge Jieru ( chinadaily.com.cn )

Lanzhou, the capital of Northwest China’s Gansu province, is facing up to the challenges of ecological protection.

As the only provincial capital that borders the Yellow River, Asia’s third-longest river that runs 2,000 kilometers east-west across China, Lanzhou is the transportation and telecommunication center of the region. Thanks to its geographical location, Lanzhou has developed rapidly in last ten years.

However, the development of industry in Lanzhou has put the city’s river environment under constant threat. Illegal construction along the river banks and the dumping of sewage and industrial wastewater are all taking their toll on the river.

The Lanzhou government began the fightback in June, passing a water protection plan to crack down on illegal pollution. The plan calls for Lanzhou to make better use of its Yellow River resources, protect its wetlands, construct an eco-friendly drainage system and build a unique landscape.

Improving the river’s water quality will be key to constructing a riverside landscape, according to Chen Hongtao, an official from Lanzhou’s Qilihe district urban and rural construction bureau.

Chen also said that Lanzhou plans to launch a project to introduce fresh water into the Leitan River, improving the surrounding environment.