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Project to dam the Nu River set to move ahead

South China Morning Post. Feb 17, 2008
Shi Jiangtao in Beijing

The plan to dam the Nu River, the longest undammed river in Southeast
Asia, is poised to move ahead in Yunnan province after final
preparations began on Wednesday amid strong public opposition.

Dozens of enraged villagers, who were forced out to make way for the
Liuku hydropower station a year ago but have yet to get full
compensation for their farmland, were still protesting at the site
yesterday - a third day after returning to their land, local sources
said.

"About 50 villagers went to their farms early on Thursday morning,
trying to stop bulldozers and tractors from clearing the sites," said
a source who did not want to be named. "They are still there."

China Huadian, the developer of the dam project, began preparations on
farmland belonging to two families by emptying and unearthing an oil
tank.

At least one of the 13 dams would be allowed to go ahead and work on
the Liuku power station would start as early as June, government
sources said.

But it remains unclear whether an attempt to break a four-year
deadlock over the dam project, which has been shrouded in controversy
and met fierce resistance from about 400 villagers in Xiaoshaba,
Lushui county, received approval from Beijing.

A top local government official denied that Beijing had finally
approved the project, which was suspended in 2004 because of rampant
environmental concerns and public protests.

"It is all hearsay," Hou Xinhua , governor of Nu River region, said in
an interview with the South China Morning Post before the Lunar New
Year.

He said the project would remain on hold pending approval from the
National Development and Reform Commission and the result of a
mandatory green assessment by the State Environmental Protection
Administration.

Sepa was unavailable for comment, but government sources said the
agency would be unable to indefinitely hold up the project, which the
development commission backs.

Touted by authorities as a shortcut to eradicate widespread poverty in
one of the mainland's most underdeveloped areas, the proposal to build
up to 13 dams on the Nu River, also known as Salween, has been
criticised by local villagers, mainland experts, green activists and
international media since 2003.

They said the project would have a grave impact on culturally diverse
local communities, the unique ecosystem of the Nu River and endanger a
Unesco World Heritage site.

Prompted by a public outcry, Premier Wen Jiabao ordered a halt to the
project in early 2004 and pledged to carry out a comprehensive
assessment of its impact.

Dozens of mainland environmental groups and renowned figures have
called for the release of the environmental impact report under
mainland law, but have been unsuccessful.

Local authorities hoped to make headway in the building of the 1
billion yuan Liuku power station, the smallest of the proposed dams,
believing it would break the impasse and pave the way for the other
dams.

But the Xiaoshaba villagers protested, complaining about unfair
compensation for their old houses and poor arrangements for their
future.

Although 80 families accepted the government's latest compensation
deal, the rest have vowed to keep fighting.

"We have heard the rumour about the imminent start of the project, and
it seems quite likely now," said a Xiaoshaba villager. "But we will
not back down this time until we get the fair compensation we
deserve."

 
 

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