BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhuanet) -- A new plan over the disputed anti-infiltration project in the ruins of Beijing's imperial garden Yuanmingyuan has ordered to remove part of the membrane paved at the bottom of the lakes, according to China's environment watchdog on Thursday.

    Pan Yue, deputy director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), said that the plan, based on an evaluation report on the project's environment impact, asks to remove the plastic membrane lined in the lakes in Qichun and Changchun parks within the garden.

    According to the plan, plastic membrane at the bottom of Fuhai lake will be reserved as experts consider the removal process in a too large area another blow to the already fragile eco-system of the lakes.

    But it asks to fill natural clay instead of sandy soil above the plastic sheeting in the lake bottom.

    Hardened clay, which is more environment-friendly, has also been proposed to be used as the lining material in the rest part of lakes which haven't been lined with plastic membrane.

    "There's a need to adopt anti-infiltration measures to prevent water loss because Beijing faces serious water shortage," says the evaluation report published on the website of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) on Tuesday.

    "But the original program should be revised," says the report, submitted by the administrative office of Yuanmingyuan to SEPA in response to acute public concern.

    Without going through environmental impact evaluation required by the law, the office began to spread plastic membranes to the bed of lakes to prevent water loss in February. The project soon incurred criticism from experts, environmentalists and the general public, prompting SEPA to order suspension of it in April and demanded the office submit an evaluation report.

    One of the most frequently asked questions about the project is: if the lake beds are lined with plastic membranes, will loaches continue to survive.

    Another major public concern is that the lining material will influence the quality of water, a major attraction of the 350-hectare garden, as the plastic sheeting can block the natural water recycling process and reduce the lake's self-cleaning capability.

    The public in Beijing generally applauded the publication of the evaluation report. "It shows the government has become more responsive to public opinions and our right to know," said Li Dihua, professor of the Environment College of Beijing University.     

    Yuanmingyuan, the emperor's private pleasure garden, once knownas "Versailles of the East", was founded in the early 18th century and burned down by British and French infantry in 1860. Enditem