The central government will invest 1 billion yuan (US$120 million) in a water and soil conservation project for the pipeline.

The laying of the gas pipeline system will unearth large amounts of soil, which might cause erosion if no effective measures are taken.

The Ministry of Water Resources has worked out plans for water and soil conservation along nine of the 12 gas sub-lines, according to Li Renhua, who helped draw up the plan.

Workers will build walls to block the spread of earth, along with irrigation canals. They will also plant trees and grass to set up a barrier against soil erosion, Li added.

Chinese environmentalists estimate that the implementation of these measures will prevent 95 per cent of the land next to the pipeline from suffering soil erosion.

(China Daily September 9, 2002)