2011-05-30 13:22

BEIJING -- Improving the living standards for people displaced by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam while boosting economic and social development will be a top priority for the government, a senior official said Sunday.

Nie Weiguo, chief of the executive office with the State Council's Three Gorges Project Construction Committee, said the smooth relocation of residents and their well-being will be crucial when evaluating whether the project is a success.

Nie was commenting on a guideline issued by the State Council on May 18 concerning the government's follow-up work on the reservoir.

According to the guideline, the government will increase industrial restructuring, boost employment incentives, and enhance social security coverage for the migrated residents.

The government also vowed to make efforts to protect the environment, improve the long-term mechanisms for geological disaster prevention and better handle the project's impact on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

The main body of the Three Gorges Dam is located in the town of Sandouping in central Hubei province and was completed in May 2006.

Since 1993 when the project was launched, 1.35 million people have been relocated to make way for the construction of the world's largest hydroelectric dam.

China is also building a Three Gorges Museum in southwestern Chongqing municipality to salute the relocated residents for their sacrifices for the greater good. The museum is scheduled to open at the end of the year.