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http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2007/11/19/world/asia/choking_on_growth_4.html#story4 http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2007/11/19/world/asia/choking_on_growth_4.html
“We don’t know about winter,” she said.
“This is the only option we have. What else can we do?”
The momentousness of the problem is as massive as the size of the dam. Of course, all major projects are followed by both positive and negative consequences, but the scale of the issues is tremendously controversial. Three clashes that are discussed: Environmental issues, displacements, and the cash. Interestingly, these issues aren’t separate, but interrelated in a way that makes it even bigger as one.
The Chinese government officials admitted that the construction has caused major water pollution and land slides, and it doesn’t seem to be any better as time flows. Also, because of the continuous usage of coal-fired power plants, it is deteriorating the egregious condition of air pollution of China and produce greenhouse gas emission incessantly. Not only it’s affecting the realm above, but it’s also bringing devastating effects down on earth. In the beginning of the construction, they had to carve the landscapes around the Yangtze and destroyed many ecosystems that contained many species at that time. Now, myriad of animals are endangered as well as the number of residents are reduced on the land.
This is how displacement related. According to the article of New York Times, “The upward migration also damaged the environment. Farmers cleared land to plant crops or rows of orange trees. Deforestation contributed to soil erosion and destabilized many hillsides. Today, construction crews are busy reinforcing crumbling hillsides above the reservoir with concrete. In the mountains, soil erosion is endemic.” Because of dearth of land during the process, the government had to displace more than 300,000 people, and these people had to clear more lands for housing and farming. As much as people were moved, majority of people returned to the land because they were perplexed about their blurry future and compensation that is not enough to cover the living of their families. How is the government going to solve this problem?
The Chinese government officials admitted that the construction has caused major water pollution and land slides, and it doesn’t seem to be any better as time flows. Also, because of the continuous usage of coal-fired power plants, it is deteriorating the egregious condition of air pollution of China and produce greenhouse gas emission incessantly. Not only it’s affecting the realm above, but it’s also bringing devastating effects down on earth. In the beginning of the construction, they had to carve the landscapes around the Yangtze and destroyed many ecosystems that contained many species at that time. Now, myriad of animals are endangered as well as the number of residents are reduced on the land.
This is how displacement related. According to the article of New York Times, “The upward migration also damaged the environment. Farmers cleared land to plant crops or rows of orange trees. Deforestation contributed to soil erosion and destabilized many hillsides. Today, construction crews are busy reinforcing crumbling hillsides above the reservoir with concrete. In the mountains, soil erosion is endemic.” Because of dearth of land during the process, the government had to displace more than 300,000 people, and these people had to clear more lands for housing and farming. As much as people were moved, majority of people returned to the land because they were perplexed about their blurry future and compensation that is not enough to cover the living of their families. How is the government going to solve this problem?
Yardley, Jim . "Chinese Dam Projects Criticized for Their Human Costs ." New York Times 19 Nov 2007 20 May 2008 .
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