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Financing for Harnessing Pearl River Estuary
South China's Guangdong Province will spend one billion yuan (about 121 million US dollars) in harnessing marine waters near the estuary of the Pearl River in the tenth Five Year Plan period (2001-2005).
A Sino-Japanese survey team reported heavy environmental pollution and serious damage to local resources around the river estuary.
The team has just concluded an investigation into marine waters covering an area of 3,000 sq km near the estuary, situated nearby cities of Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Shenzhen as well as Hong Kong and Macao.
According to the investigation, which cost 20 million yuan ( about 2.4 million US dollars), 36 percent of the surveyed marine waters are polluted.
The Pearl River is China's third longest inland waterway and one of the country's busiest rivers. The Pearl River Delta, especially the estuary region, is one of the country's most developed economic regions and also one of the most important windows for China's opening-up drive.
The Pearl River Delta is densely populated, coupled with convenient transportation and active economic, scientific, technological and cultural activities.
However, in the wake of accelerated modernization, a number of ecological and environmental problems have arisen from the bustling activity. Following serious pollution in the marine waters and the gradually worsening ecological environment, regeneration and sustainable use of resources at the estuary have been declining.
To prevent the situation from worsening, Guangdong Province, also one of China's forerunners in reform and open-up, has earmarked huge investment for improving the environment of the marine waters near the Pearl River estuary.
From 1999 to 2001, the province spent 200 million yuan (about 24.1 million US dollars) on a comprehensive harnessing program in the estuary region, said local sources.
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