Global EditionASIA 中文双语Français
Opinion
Home / Opinion / Opinion Line

For want of a forest, a harvest was lost

By LI YANG | China Daily | Updated: 2020-08-12 07:51
Share
Share - WeChat
Photo taken on June 28, 2020 shows the view of a grassland in West Ujimqin Banner of Xilingol League, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua]Photo taken on June 28, 2020 shows the view of a grassland in West Ujimqin Banner of Xilingol League, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua]

More than 1,333 hectares of ripening wheat and rapeseed were shoveled away last month in the Chen Barga Banner of Hulunbuir city in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, as local governments rushed to meet their return-farmland-to-forestry targets.

It is a pity to see grains that should have been harvested being destroyed this way. Three regions in Inner Mongolia, including Hulunbuir, are piloting the return-farmland-to-forestry campaign. As of June, the other two regions had met their respective annual targets, while Hulunbuir lagged far behind. After being pulled up by relevant departments of the Inner Mongolia government, Hulunbuir stepped on the gas. Reportedly, Hulunbuir was instructed to meet its annual quota by Aug 31.

Some grassroots officials in the Chen Barga Banner told the media that it is not too late to plant trees there even in September. They said the local government authorities in Hulunbuir should have reported the practical condition in the farmlands to the higher authorities so that the campaign could have been delayed till after the farmers had reaped the crops.

It is worth noting that according to the forestry and grassland bureau at the Chen Barga Banner, the plot had earlier been earmarked as forest land, and it is illegal for residents to grow crops there.

The farmers confirmed this was true but said they planted the crops to increase their income as the government was yet to introduce a compensation plan for the return-farmland-to-forest campaign.

Had the authorities in Hulunbuir acted faster, or had they faithfully reported local people's practical needs to the higher authorities, the results could have been different.

The local government and the grassroots authorities know local conditions well enough to have reported the farmers' concerns to the higher authorities in Hulunbuir so that the crops could have been saved. Or, the farmers should have been more cooperative on realizing what they stood to gain from the campaign.

The Chen Barga Banner has now suspended the destruction of more crops, saying it will not act until the farmers have reaped the remaining crops. But whether the farmers whose crops were destroyed would be compensated remains to be seen.

Most Viewed in 24 Hours
China Views
Top
BACK TO THE TOP
English
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US