Beijing
plans to spend more than 234 million yuan (US$28.1 million) this
year to reduce the effects of sandstorms and bring them under
control at source, according to the municipal government.
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Under the city's sandstorm source treatment project, it will target
sources of sandstorms along three major rivers and in two arid
regions by 2008, covering 13,333 hectares.
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The country launched a project to control sandstorms in northern
China and Beijing in 2000.
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As part of the project, Beijing will plant 11,333 hectares of dry
land with trees, launch 882 water-saving and water treatment
projects and relocate 2,000 local residents.
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The project will address sandstorm sources in 75 counties in
Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia in north
China.
It will cost a total of 50 billion yuan (US$6.02 billion) by
2010, the city government said.
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By the end of 2004, Beijing had developed forests totaling 255,000
hectares and turned 13,000 hectares of arid land into grassland. In
addition, water treatment had been conducted over 482.5 sq
km.
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The project has greatly improved Beijing's environment and air
quality, the city government said.?
(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2005)