Voice 1110 II

"Due to the soaring demand for water by businesses and individuals, human settlements in Northwest China are robbing the region of the share needed to sustain local eco-systems. The level of groundwater has fallen by over 10 meters in Dunhuang. The water surface of Crescent Spring (lake) has dwindled from 22 mu (15 mu = 1 hectare) in 1960 to the present eight mu, and the depth of the lake has contracted from eight meters to one meter." Minister of Water Resources Chen Lei made the alarming announcement at a seminar on the preservation of water resources and environmental protection in Dunhuang, a desert oasis known for caves with lavish Buddhist murals and inspiring sculptures dating back over 1,000 years. The minister said overuse of water resources in the area has led to a diminishing water table, withering green space and desertification. The intensifying sand and dust in the air pose a grievous threat to the cultural heritage of this Silk Road post, crumbling the cliffs the caves are built in and eroding the fragile paintings on the wall. This year the State Council earmarked RMB 4.7 billion and executed a plan for rational use of water resources and comprehensive protection of the eco-environment in Dunhuang.