Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu said in Beijing on Thursday that
more efforts should be made to build better irrigation facilities
following the severe drought this year.
China experienced unusual
climate changes this year causing various natural disasters, said
Hui at a meeting of the State Council.
Some areas suffered the most severe drought in 50
years, leaving 11 million people and thousands of livestock short
of drinking water. Direct economic losses have reached seven
billion yuan (US$875 million).
Although rescue efforts had restricted the damage, the
disasters reflected the urgency of improving irrigation facilities,
said Hui.
Anti-drought projects, reservoirs and river courses
should be priorities to be improved in case of flood and drought,
said Hui.
The vice premier also called for more efforts to
establish safe drinking water projects in the rural areas and
ecological projects to guarantee the country's sustainable
development.
He said the mechanism of government investment should
be improved to ensure the steady growth of construction funds for
irrigation facilities.
Hui also called for strict implementation of central
government's policies on rural development and tighter monitoring
of possible animal diseases for the rest of the year.
(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2006)
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