Pollution forces relocation for village farmers
By Feng Jianmin |
December 6, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
POLLUTION is forcing farmers off their land in a village in east China's Jiangsu Province.
They are to be relocated next year because emissions from local factories are seriously damaging their health and their crops, the Modern Express reported yesterday.
A total of 41 families and about 300,000 square meters of farmland in Nanxin Village are currently enveloped by a ring of chemical companies, introduced by the government to boost the local economy since 2003.
The factories make paper, pesticides and other chemical products.
"The air is so pungent that one has to keep the door and windows closed when staying indoors," said Shan Zhenhua, one of the villagers.
A reporter from the newspaper described the smell as "awful and unbearable," while his taxi driver felt "sick and dizzy."
Shan said that the village had indeed become more prosperous after the chemical industry park took shape, but at the cost of pollution. Located at the center of the industrial park, Shan's village was especially affected by water and air pollution.
Output from farms has been reduced, leaves wither on the trees, fish in ponds die suddenly, and more and more children are suffering from asthma.
Shan found his crops withered in 2008 as if they had been sprayed by weedkiller, and the crops hardly bore any seeds. Another six families suffered similar losses.
The seven families eventually got the government to launch an investigation after being turned down by several administrative bodies. The result showed that chemical firms were to blame.
Farmers said that they received some compensation from the government and the factories in 2009, and the government were offering to rent a mu (666.67 square meters) of land from farmers for 600 yuan (US$90). But the villagers said that amount did not make up for their losses.
Another villager, Han Shichan, told the newspaper that her 18-month-old granddaughter had been a frequent visitor to hospital since she was just one month old.
"The baby showed symptoms of asthma after I opened the windows last summer to let the cool air in," Han said. "We are kind of accustomed to the smell, but the baby is not."
Han said the family spent some 4,000 yuan on treatment for the baby, but the disease broke out again after she was brought home.
"We've already given up our land, and it seems that we'll also have to give up our hometown," said another villager. "Otherwise, we will be withering like the trees and crops tomorrow."
Lu Jijun, an official with the local environment bureau, said that there were around 20 companies in the area, including several waste processing firms and water purification works.
He said measures had been taken to reduce emissions.
Xuan Weixin, head of the local complaints office, said the village was not a fit place to live and all residents in the area and nearby regions would be moved to a new location late next year.
They are to be relocated next year because emissions from local factories are seriously damaging their health and their crops, the Modern Express reported yesterday.
A total of 41 families and about 300,000 square meters of farmland in Nanxin Village are currently enveloped by a ring of chemical companies, introduced by the government to boost the local economy since 2003.
The factories make paper, pesticides and other chemical products.
"The air is so pungent that one has to keep the door and windows closed when staying indoors," said Shan Zhenhua, one of the villagers.
A reporter from the newspaper described the smell as "awful and unbearable," while his taxi driver felt "sick and dizzy."
Shan said that the village had indeed become more prosperous after the chemical industry park took shape, but at the cost of pollution. Located at the center of the industrial park, Shan's village was especially affected by water and air pollution.
Output from farms has been reduced, leaves wither on the trees, fish in ponds die suddenly, and more and more children are suffering from asthma.
Shan found his crops withered in 2008 as if they had been sprayed by weedkiller, and the crops hardly bore any seeds. Another six families suffered similar losses.
The seven families eventually got the government to launch an investigation after being turned down by several administrative bodies. The result showed that chemical firms were to blame.
Farmers said that they received some compensation from the government and the factories in 2009, and the government were offering to rent a mu (666.67 square meters) of land from farmers for 600 yuan (US$90). But the villagers said that amount did not make up for their losses.
Another villager, Han Shichan, told the newspaper that her 18-month-old granddaughter had been a frequent visitor to hospital since she was just one month old.
"The baby showed symptoms of asthma after I opened the windows last summer to let the cool air in," Han said. "We are kind of accustomed to the smell, but the baby is not."
Han said the family spent some 4,000 yuan on treatment for the baby, but the disease broke out again after she was brought home.
"We've already given up our land, and it seems that we'll also have to give up our hometown," said another villager. "Otherwise, we will be withering like the trees and crops tomorrow."
Lu Jijun, an official with the local environment bureau, said that there were around 20 companies in the area, including several waste processing firms and water purification works.
He said measures had been taken to reduce emissions.
Xuan Weixin, head of the local complaints office, said the village was not a fit place to live and all residents in the area and nearby regions would be moved to a new location late next year.
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