BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Without intensifying pollution 
control, the mammoth water diversion project from South to North 
China would become costly thankless labor, warned NPC deputy Zhang
Wentai.
    At group discussions of the on-going Fifth Session of the 
Ninth National People's Congress, Zhang said that water pollution 
is very serious along the route of the water diversion project and
if no effort is made to control the pollution, the water from the 
Yangtze River would be seriously contaminated and the project 
would lose its significance.
   Zhang Wentai quoted a survey material as saying that the annual
wastewater discharge along the planned eastern route totaled 2.951
billion tons and the total discharge of ammonia and nitrogen is 
135,000 tons. The ammonia and nitrogen density has exceeded the 
prescribed standards at 36 sections and permanganate has exceeded 
the state set standards in 25 sections. In addition, there are 53 
seriously polluted rivers flowing into the water diversion canal.
   Although pollution problems have received the attention of all 
parties, but due to investment and local economic interests, it is
difficult to put water control measures in place.     
   "The key to successful pollution control lies in making laws," 
he said.
   He urged the authorities to set up a special organization to 
carry out investigation and study and draft laws as soon as 
possible and put them into execution before the project starts.   
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