CHONGGING, China (dpa) – Rarely has China’s Huang Ho (Yellow River) attracted so many tourists. Comfortable cruises ply between the large central Chinese city of Chongqing (vessels) and the country’s leading port Shanghai.
Many tourists are here to see the famous Three Gorges one last time before they disappear under a huge reservoir.In 2003 the water level will rise to 135 metres above sea-level, in 2009 to 175 metres. Large sections of Hubei and Chongqing provinces will be covered by a reservoir one to two kilometres broad and 660 kilometres long. An incomparable piece of China’s countryside will thus be submerged and at least 1.3 million people will have to make way for the project which is estimated to cost around 30 billion dollars.The gigantic plan is the subject of heated debate in China itself, yet in the People’s Congress there have only seldom been votes of disapproval.As the “Yellow Crane” moors for the night in Shibaozhai, the travellers are offered the sight of a village idyll, enriched by numerous hawkers – people, including many women, selling juices for travellers’ refreshment. One farmer carries a sack containing squealing piglets into a hut beside the cruise ship – probably fresh meat for the catering on board.Towering high above the river, modern tower blocks are visible: This is the new Shibaozhai. The waters of the Yangtze will embrace the idyll once the dam is flooded. The 12-storey pagoda up on the mountain will get “wet feet” although a wall is planned to protect the historic treasure.Steep, sheer cliffs rise on both sides of the doomed river gorge. Sometimes the course becomes so narrow and the current so strong that the steersmen have to battle with their punts. Villagers accompany the small fleet of ships, some of them wading into the water to offer souvenirs for sale. They fish out banknotes that are thrown to them from the water.The gigantic building site that is the dam appears through the gloom of the mist. The site employs 20,000 people working round the clock in three shifts. Large sections of the 185-metre-high dam wall are complete and two, five-stage locks clearly recognisable. They will soon be providing passage for vessels of up to 10,000 gross registered tons (GRT). A hoist for smaller ships and a hydroelectric power plant are also planned.As the cruise ship wends its way past stops in Wuhan, Jiujiang, Nanjing und Yangzhou, nearing its destination Shanghai after 2,389 kilometres, the mighty river offers varied and incredible impressions. Barges, rusting cranes and all manner of passenger ships ply the river. The Yangtze is navigable through 2,600 kilometres and as such is one of the world’s most important waterways.The pros and cons of the dam are becoming more obvious every day. On the one hand, it will provide better security for shipping and housing on the banks.But while the memories of the destructive flood of 1998, which claimed the lives of 6,400 people after the river broke its banks, are still alive, innumerable people have lost their homes to the grand project. Architectural treasures will also disappear under the water, along with whole villages and towns. The environment is also widely expected to suffer.
