LHASA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China is counting down to
the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet railway to tourists on July 1, but there are
still lingering doubts as to how the engineering feat will affect the region's
eco-system.
There are 60.9 million hectares of national nature reserve on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau through which the
1,142-kilometer railway runs, but Huang Difu, chief commander of the
Qinghai-Tibet Construction Headquarters, revealed how environmental protection
was made an expensive priority.
"We have spent 1.54 billion yuan (192.5 million U.S.
dollars) on protecting rare species and the vulnerable environment," he said.
"To help restoration of the ecosystem, grass was
transplanted so it flanks over 300 kilometers of the railway at an altitude of
4300 to 4500 meters," said Sun Yongfu, vice-minister of railways.
Meanwhile, marshland was preserved by relocating
grass from low-lying land that was dug out to make way for the railway. The
grass was replanted in some artificial depressions made in areas which lacked
grass.
Flocks of Tibetan antelopes can move leisurely across
a bridge under the railway. "Tibetan antelopes are our bosses, whom we could
never provoke," a railway construction worker joked.
To ensure the regular migration of this wild animal,
the government built 33 pathways in the forms of bridge and tunnel, according to
Huang Difu. The Tibetan antelope is one of the most endangered species in China
with only 50,000 at present.
"In the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railway, we
have put environment protection ahead of the project," said La Youyu, deputy
commander. La noted that before the project was started, they had conducted
comprehensive survey on climate, environment, species and eco-system of the
plateau. Their goal was that no water polluted, no earth eroded, no vegetation
wrecked, no animal migration hindered, and no scenery ruined.
Evaluation of environment protection units from Tibet
and Qinghai in west China confirms that the goal was achieved. Enditem
