BEIJING: China has made positive progress on Yangtze River protection since the Yangtze River Protection Law was put into effect more than a year ago, according to a report submitted to the ongoing session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee for review Wednesday.
The Standing Committee of the NPC sent inspection teams to check the enforcement of the Yangtze River Protection Law, China’s first legislation on a specific river basin, which came into effect on March 1, 2021.
Since the promulgation and implementation of the Yangtze River Protection Law, all localities and departments in the Yangtze River basin have made efforts to improve the relevant systems, strengthen the prevention and control of water pollution, rectify prominent problems and intensify law-enforcement oversight, according to the report.
Since 2021, over 16,900 km of wastewater pipe networks were either built or upgraded along the Yangtze River Economic Belt. A total of 14,000 cases of irregularities were addressed in 2021, including arbitrary occupation, mining, random heaps and construction, said the report.
Coordinated efforts have been made by local governments and departments on protecting and restoring the ecological environment in the Yangtze River basin. For example, the construction of the Sanjiangyuan National Park and the Giant Panda National Park has been boosted, as a way to coordinate the optimization and integration of natural reserves in the area, said the report. –Agencies
