Relocation of island residents gives Lijiang River clean bill of health

A campaign to relocate residents from river islands along the section of the Lijiang River flowing through Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has helped restore the ecosystem, according to the city's Lijiang River Management Committee.

The Lijiang River, flanked by karst mountains, is a well-known tourist attraction and sightseeing cruises are popular with visitors.

However, sections flowing through urban areas of Guilin stank of the waste and sewage water emitted by households and restaurants along the river, especially people living on river islands, Shi Ming, deputy director of the committee, said.