Work on the cleaning of the lower reaches of a river that flows
through the northern part of Beijing got underway on Wednesday as
the city progresses plans to improve the environment around the
Olympic Park being built for the 2008 Games. ?
The project, costing 640 million yuan (US$80 million), will
clear away silt, improve the water quality and concrete banks will
be built along the Qinghe River, a spokesman with the Beijing
Municipal Water Authority said. The current work is the second
phase of the clean up operation and should be finished by the end
of next year, he added.
Last year local government cleaned up the upper reaches of the
Qinghe River which flows from the Biyun Temple in the western
suburbs of Beijing, he said.
The Olympic Park will cover 1,085 hectares including a
680-hectare forest and a 405-hectare national sports center which
will host field hockey, archery and tennis competitions during 2008
Olympics.
(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2006)