Resource search goes on but environment top priority
(China Daily by Tang Min)
Updated: 2004-02-27 00:45

Through careful planning aimed at sustainable development, China has stepped up efforts to exploit its mineral resources, including crude oil, while ensuring the development won't trigger unnecessary geological disasters.

Wang Guoqing, vice-director of the Information Office of the State Council, dismissed doubts yesterday at a news conference that the country's efforts to develop a huge strategic oil reserve will impose a dangerous burden on the environment.

China ranks among the world's most serious in terms of geological disasters, annually losing upwards of 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) with about 1,000 deaths a year in the past several years. Such occurrences are mainly due to the earth subsiding, mud and rock flows and landslides.

The idea of establishing a new strategic oil reserve system was put forward by the central government as early as year 2001. But official confirmation from the State Development and Reform Commission did not come until late last year until news broke that a special team under the commission had set to carry out the task.

Observers believe the system should develop the reserve depending on the one hand international deals, and on the other increasing domestic production.

Vice Minister of Land and Resources Shou Jiahua acknowledged at the news conference that the number of geological disasters caused by improper human exploitation, mainly excessive mining, has been increasing in the country.

For example, coal mining in Central China's Shanxi Province, as well as excessive extraction of underground water in East China's Shanghai and Jiangsu Province, have caused obvious sinking, with economic losses of over 1 billion yuan (US$120.8 million) each year.

However, China will no longer develop willy-nilly at the price of harming the environment, said Wang.

The country's first Regulation on Geological Disaster Prevention and Treatment, which will become effective on Monday, will serve as an example for developers to follow.

According to Shou, the new regulation has stipulated a national mechanism to better co-ordinate related local disaster prevention efforts.

Authorities can use itto punish those who are irresponsible, especially officials not including geo-environment evaluation in local urban planning. Punishments can be fines between 100,000 and 500,000 yuan (US$12,080 to 60,390), administrative demotion or removal, or criminal penalties.

As a kind of natural disaster, geological disasters cannot be completely eliminated. But Shou believes extra efforts can lead to obvious reductions in them.

Based on its national monitoring network, the ministry successfully forecast 1,100-odd geological disasters in year 2002 and 2003, avoiding possible injury or death of nearly 36,000 people.

Shou said the ministry has finished geological surveys in 545 Chinese cities and counties most prone to geological disasters, recording a total area of 1.5 million square kilometres.

"We have thus gained the initiative in fighting geological disasters," she said.