Northern China Digs in For Water WarThe central government decided yesterday to divert 400 million yuan (US$48.2 million) from its budget to build emergency water supply projects in drought-plagued northern China. The money is one of many measures taken this summer to ease water shortages.Northern China is preparing for its worst drought in 10 years. It has plagued tens of thousands of people on vast stretches of farmland and scorched crops and paddy fields. Water supply authorities are pessimistic about northern China's drought despite rainfalls ranging from 10 to 50 millimetres. It but moistened parts of the country's scorched lands a few days ago. And little rain is predicted in mid-summer for large areas along the northern part of the Yellow River and in Northeast China, the report quoted weather forecasters as saying. The drought now threatens more than 12 million hectares of crops and farmland yet to be sowed, plus about 470,000 hectares of rice paddies. It is also diminishing the drinking water for more than 10 million people and 8.2 million livestock, the report said. "North China and Northeast China have faced a persistent, worsening drought for lack of rainfall since June 20," water supply officials said. Tianjin, North China's second largest city, has seen the water drop in Panjiakou Reservoir, the major source of city water, below its pivotal watermark. Another source, Yuqiao Reservoir, has about 130 million cubic metres of water left. The problem is clear. Now authorities are working on solutions. Tianjin has adopted water rationing for city dwellers to ease the situation. Water users will pay extra for water exceeding a set limit. Tianjin also has dramatically reduced water for industry, stopped supplying water for vegetable farms and closed down vehicle washes and public baths. Elsewhere in northern China, workers have put more than 2 million motor-pumped wells, 33,000 pumping stations and 6 million pieces of mobile water supply equipment into operation. An official with the State Development Planning Commission said yesterday its newly budgeted 400 million yuan (US$48.2 million) in relief funds are for matters of "extreme urgency" facing farmers in drought areas. Meteorological authorities also plan to use cloud seeding to increase precipitation in dry Northwest China. |
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