Three Gorges Dam

Construction may be drawing to a close after 13 years but that is unlikely to stop the controversy about building the Three Gorges Dam in the first place. Critics say the human cost has been far too high. More than a million people have been moved to make way for the dam. At least 1,200 towns and villages will be submerged under the rising waters of the dam's reservoir. The government says those who have been relocated will have new homes, jobs and compensation. But many locals say corrupt officials have taken their money and they cannot make a living. Although the authorities say they have investigated and prosecuted many officials, the problem still persists.

The Chinese government says it is spending billions of dollars on sewage treatment facilities. And it is pressing ahead regardless of the critics. China desperately needs electricity for its booming economy. Power shortages are common now in many cities during the summer. That is when millions of Chinese across the country switch on their air conditioners to cool down during the baking heat. So the Three Gorges is part of China's energy strategy. The authorities also hope the dam will help control flooding on the Yangtze which in the past has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and in recent years, caused millions of dollars worth of damage. And the government has plans to build more dams on the Yangtze and other rivers across China. These vast structures have become symbolic not only of China's engineering and construction capabilities but also of the Communist Party's desire for economic progress regardless of the human or environmental cost.

Adapted from BBC News May 19th 2006

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