Olympics Taking Away Water From The People

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A senior Chinese government official announced that the Beijing Olympics could be threatening the livelihoods of millions of the Chinese people. Water is being diverted for the games putting a strain on many local water supplies.

A project underway will divert water from southern China to the north with the use of tunnels, dams and canals. Part of the this water is to be used during the summer games. Mr. An of Shaanxi says the diversion of water will have a severe effect.

“In order to preserve the quality of Beijing’s water we have to close all our factories,” he said.

“But we still need to live. So I say the government needs to compensate Shaanxi.”

This isn’t the first time An has been critical of the government’s water management. He also drew attention to the Sanmexia Dam constructed in the 1950s. It has caused flooding from the Yellow River which is was constricted to avoid doing.

An is not the typical communist leader, most are not openly critical of government policies.

Both An’s Shaanxi province and the province of Hebei are being required to pump water to Beijing in time for the games. The northern mostly industrial regions of China is depending on the southern water projects stemming from the Yangtze River. The entire project is due to be completed by 2010 but the government is hopeful that the northern leg of the network will be functioning by this summer. The government has pumped billions of dollars into the hydro project.

Experts are predicting that water demands will increase by 30 percent this summer when visitors are expected to arrive and watch the games in person.

In Hebei a severe drought is going on. The province next to Beijing supplies most of the city’s water at the present time. With a lack of snow and rain the water supply is being stretched. Add on to this the games plus the 16 million who reside in Beijing. The agricultural land is now being threatened because of the lack of water. A quarter million of the residents in the province are already having problems obtaining drinking water.

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