REGIONAL> Society
29 villas built near grotto to be demolished
By Xie Chuanjiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-12-16 07:57

The 29-illegal villas being built near a UNESCO world heritage site in Henan province are expected to be demolished within a few days, sources said yesterday.

"The government said the buildings will be torn down in a few days and everything is progressing according to legal procedures," Wang Qingru, a press official with Longmen Grottos management committee, said yesterday.

She said sightseeing at the World Heritage site had not been affected.

Media reported on Wednesday that 29 villas were being built as close as 2 km from the Longmen Grottos, which became a World Heritage Site in 2000 for their magnificent ancient sculptures.

On Sunday, the Luoyang government issued a statement on its website that the construction had violated laws.

Investigators found that the company started its illegal development in April despite not having authorization, the government said.

Its land use certificate was suspected of being fake, so police began an investigation, it said.

The government on Thursday ordered the builder, Yichuan Longxiang Villa and Catering Co Ltd, to close down the construction site and demolish all structures within three days.

"We are happy with the authority's decision to demolish the buildings as they should not be there," Wang said.

Four officials have been expelled or suspended, or given other administrative punishments, including Dang Shuqing, chief of land and resources of Yichuan county, who was former chief of construction, he said.

The press officials with Luoyang and Yichuan refused to make any further comment, saying the investigation is ongoing.

The People's Daily reported yesterday that the villas were part of an investment project of a local village.

The main structure of the villas had been completed and window frames had been installed in some, it said.

"I was not aware that this was a controlled area around the Longmen Grottos even though I have been the village chief for six years," Guo Liumin, the village Party secretary, told People's Daily.

An official surnamed Lu from the National Cultural Relics Bureau, said the construction was illegal.

"We are not saying it is forbidden to erect a building near a key cultural relic but an application has to be made and approval received from the cultural relic protection department," Lu told China Daily.