China: spending 14.5 billion USD to clean Thai Ho

According to the BBC, China has just announced a budget of $ 14.5 billion (108.5 billion yuan) to clean up toxic algae that are proliferating on the Taihu Lake in Jiangsu Province.

In June this year, before the invasion of algae, the government had to stop taking water from the 2400-square-kilometer lake area that was still used to supply Wuxi City.

Thai Ho fish died of toxic algae.
(Photo: AP)

The Jiangsu government notice states: "Under the plan, the first five years will focus on the control of toxins in the lake and the improvement of water quality. About 8-10 years later, the problem of Thai Ho pollution will be basically solved ". Blue-green algae has now spread to one-third of the lake area, which is a popular tourist destination. According to environmentalists, the cause is Jiangsu's garbage and waste from manufacturing plants and high-tech industries that have been growing in recent years, causing heavy pollution.

AP and VOA said, in addition to Thai Ho of Jiangsu, Chaohu of Anhui - the fifth largest lake in China, and Lake Tri Tri - the sixth largest lake near Kunming, also has the phenomenon of toxic algae blooming. A deputy director of China's Environmental Protection Agency said that not only lakes but rivers are also heavily polluted: 1/4 of China's seven major rivers that are so dirty that just touching is enough. Harmful to the skin. China has closed the factory at 13 points on four major rivers this year.

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