| China solves insecurity in drinking water (Xinhua)
 Updated: 2006-06-05 14:04  China has completed more than 800,000 rural 
drinking water projects in recent years, solving difficulties and insecurity in 
this regard for 67 million rural residents, says a white paper entitled 
Environmental Protection in China (1996-2005) issued on Monday.
 The Chinese government has launched campaigns to build towns and townships 
with a beautiful environment and ecologically advanced villages in recent years, 
pushing forward comprehensive control of the rural environment, according to the 
white paper released by the Information Office of the State Council of China. 
 China is concentrating on the demonstration of comprehensive control of 
pollution from livestock, poultry and fish breeding, and non-point pollution in 
Taihu, Dianchi and Chaohu lakes, as well as in the Yangtze, Zhujiang and Yellow 
river deltas, the white paper says. 
 Some provinces and municipalities have beefed up control of the village 
environment and improved village infrastructure, and made progress in treating 
rural sewage and waste and controlling agricultural non-point pollution, 
according to the white paper. The government has, as well, started the 
investigation of soil pollution and demonstration of pollution control 
throughout the country, and set up a system of testing and controlling the 
security of agricultural products, the white paper says.
 It also strengthened the environmental security control of pesticides and 
chemical fertilizer, popularized high-efficiency, low-toxicity and low-residue 
pesticides, and prohibited the use of high-toxic and high-residual pesticides in 
the production of vegetables, fruits, grain, tea and Chinese medicinal herbs, 
the white paper adds. 
 The government also prevented non-point pollution brought about by irrational 
use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides, farm-use plastic sheeting and wastewater 
irrigation, so as to ensure the security of agricultural products, according to 
the white paper. 
 China, at the same time, encouraged the development of eco-agricultural 
projects that closely integrates breeding industry with crop farming, the white 
paper says. 
 
 
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