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Consumerism requires more landfills that foul land and water
By Wan Lixin |
July 28, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA Economic Times reported this week that since June 9 about 14 villagers have either disappeared or been detained for objecting to a landfill.
Last July, a landfill was planned near a river seen as their "mother river" by residents of Fuxing village, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Since August villagers have taken their grievances successively to the township, the provincial capital, and Beijing, to no avail.
Subsequent governmental efforts to forcefully start on the project were thwarted by the villagers.
In June 1,600 armed police tried to ensure the project got underway, but it was again delayed by over 100 elderly people and women supplicating on their knees.
Some villagers have since been disappearing, some of whom were later confirmed to be in police custody.
According to villagers, the landfills was originally planned near another village, but after an investment of 1.8 million yuan (US$269,000) the plan was dropped due to fierce resistance from other villagers.
The Fuxing village chief decided to have the project in his village, without seeking the opinions of his co-villagers. A standoff ensued.
"We just want to protect this village, and protect the source of our river," said 75-year-old Xiong Guanju.
When China strides proudly into the consumer society, the bulging landfills rarely impinge on our consciousness, though we are never far away from their stench.
As some reports indicate, landfills are encroaching upon some big cities, including Shanghai and Beijing.
If our officials continue to kneel before glowing GDP figures, we will continue to hear about villagers on their knees before overwhelming official brutality.
Stimulating domestic demand for consumer goods and disposable items can be easy, but who will take care of the mess, ultimately?
Last July, a landfill was planned near a river seen as their "mother river" by residents of Fuxing village, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Since August villagers have taken their grievances successively to the township, the provincial capital, and Beijing, to no avail.
Subsequent governmental efforts to forcefully start on the project were thwarted by the villagers.
In June 1,600 armed police tried to ensure the project got underway, but it was again delayed by over 100 elderly people and women supplicating on their knees.
Some villagers have since been disappearing, some of whom were later confirmed to be in police custody.
According to villagers, the landfills was originally planned near another village, but after an investment of 1.8 million yuan (US$269,000) the plan was dropped due to fierce resistance from other villagers.
The Fuxing village chief decided to have the project in his village, without seeking the opinions of his co-villagers. A standoff ensued.
"We just want to protect this village, and protect the source of our river," said 75-year-old Xiong Guanju.
When China strides proudly into the consumer society, the bulging landfills rarely impinge on our consciousness, though we are never far away from their stench.
As some reports indicate, landfills are encroaching upon some big cities, including Shanghai and Beijing.
If our officials continue to kneel before glowing GDP figures, we will continue to hear about villagers on their knees before overwhelming official brutality.
Stimulating domestic demand for consumer goods and disposable items can be easy, but who will take care of the mess, ultimately?
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