NANJING: Zhang Zhiping, 59, has finally seen clear water and jumping fish in the river again, a scene that had been common in his childhood but disappeared in the 1980s.
“The finless porpoises are back. And when the river gate opened, I could see the fish jumping!” said Zhang, a resident of Nantong City, east China’s Jiangsu Province.
Living near the Kuzigang River, which runs to the Yangtze River, in Chongchuan District, Zhang is a witness to the improved environment and ecology, which was accelerated by a series of policies on the protection of the river, especially in the past decade.
He recalled that in the 1980s and 1990s, factories along the Yangtze River increased, bringing about much pollution. Oil and garbage floated in the river, and with overfishing, there were fewer fish.
In recent years, the Yangtze River has become better protected, more factories along the coast have been closed, and fishermen have returned to the land for other businesses. Zhang, who fished almost throughout his lifetime, stopped in 2018.
“Although I can no longer fish, I am happy to see such changes,” Zhang said.
Now, Zhang goes to the river banks every two or three days and volunteers as an inspector for river protection. Finding improper behavior or environmental damage, he will stop it or report it to the relevant authorities. –Agencies
