China Inaugurated the World's Largest Dam
Monday, May 22, 2006 | www.radiomundoreal.fm download 
(MP3 • 567KB • 1:12 min)
(Nota: el audio incluye la entrevista)
|
The Chinese government inaugurated the world's largest hydro electrical central, on Saturday. The project's works started 13 years ago and its estimated cost was 23 billion dollars.
The mega project was named Three Gorges Dam and was built on Yangtze River, which is 2,300 meters long and 185 meters high.
According to Chinese government representatives, the dam will play a key role for the country's energy demand, which is one of the world's largest economies.
Chinese and international media said this mega project is the «new Great Wall of China».
But several environmentalist groups warned about likely «serious ecological impacts» and said the dam's reservoir is likely to be polluted by the waste of the neighboring cities and towns.
The activities of the dam will displace 1.3 million people, according to estimations of the project's promoters.
But the organizations that opposed the initiative from the very beginning estimate that 2 million people will be affected by the dam.
According to these groups, this «controversial project» also implies a serious «geological risk».