With Cape Town suffering its worst drought in over a century, and years of water shortages in several American states, Nanjing is taking matters into its own hands and setting its focus on water protection and preservation along the banks of the its famed Yangtze River. This comes in the form of a new rule implementing serious action against the destruction and pollution of China’s beloved and most important waterway.
In the new law, released by the Nanjing government and set to come into effect on 10 April, so-called “water consuming” factories shall be banned from discharging wastewater to “areas where aquatic resources must be conserved”, reports the French arm of Xinhua News.
The report goes on to mention that, according to the new regulation, harsh punishments will be handed out to those breaking the law. Furthermore, the government promises to “send personnel to repair damaged water areas, during an annual ban on fishing”.
Economic activity may continue, however low impact flooding, or the complete prevention thereof, water safety and the river’s ecological environment are of the utmost importance.
As China’s longest river, the Yangtze, has throughout time been, and will continue to be, one of the country’s most important natural passageways. Travel, trade and millions of people thrive up and down its banks, and have done for centuries.
Ecologically the river is home to the Chinese alligator, Yangtze river dolphin, Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle, Chinese giant salamander, Chinese paddlefish, red-and-white flying squirrel, pangolin, golden monkey, Chinese golden swallow, eagle, Siberian crane, Tibetan antelope, wolf, snow leopard and giant panda.
At 6,380 km, it is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world. Among other important factors, the river generates a sizeable 20 percent of China’s GDP. Thus Nanjing’s welcoming of initiatives such as the Nanjing International Water Hub, located on the Sino-Singapore Nanjing Eco High-tech Island (known locally to many as Grape Island), is a smart move.
Conservation of the worlds third longest river sits rightfully at the top of the government’s list of priorities when it comes to preservation and protection, for without the mighty Yangtze, there would be no Nanjing.
