The European Union (EU) has launched a 175 million euro ($248 million) joint campaign with China to clean up the country's two largest rivers, the China Daily reported Wednesday.
A pollution control and public awareness plan to reduce waste discharge will be drawn up for the Yellow and Yangtze rivers over five years. The EU will provide up to 25 million euros in grants and the World Bank will give up to 80 million euros in loans while China will contribute more than 70 million euros.China's rivers suffer from heavy pollution due to the rapid industrialisation of the country.
The programme will aim at cutting industrial and human pollution in the middle regions of the Yellow river, particularly in Henan, Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces.
The project will also pay people living in the southwestern provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Hubei to plant trees in an effort to improve the ecology along the Yangtze.
Source-IANS
VEN /J
