Tibet government departments have taken measures to ensure the
Qinghai-Tibet Railway, which goes into trial operation as of July
1, is an ecologically friendly route.
The Tourism Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region predicts that
visitor numbers will increase by 3,000-4,000 each day in Tibet when
services start on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway on July 1.
Careful disposal of garbage
Ma Baocheng, deputy manager of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway
Company, said that his company has made careful arrangements
concerning environmental protection of tourist attractions along
the route.
According to him, sewage and garbage disposal units are being
placed at railway stations. The waste will be transported within a
week by special trains to Golmud, a city in Qinghai Province, for
treatment. Waste collection systems will be installed on all trains
to discharge the garbage in advance using compression
technology.
Toilet facilities in Lhasa
Sewage and garbage treatment plants as well as other necessary
facilities are to be built in Lhasa City.
"Central government and Lhasa City have spent over 10 million
(US$12,400) on local public sanitation facilities," said Zhang
Xuanhong, general office director of the Lhasa Environment and
Sanitation Bureau. "79 new toilets were built last year."
Lhasa now has 200 toilets scattered throughout the old and new
towns and at tourist attractions. Three new toilets were opened
after renovation work at the Potala Palace Square was completed
last year.
Tour guides to supervise garbage disposal
"Each tourist bus must have garbage bags and dustbins," said
Liao Lisheng, general office director of the Environmental
Protection Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, "Tour guides will
supervise tourists to ensure garbage goes into these bags. They'll
take the garbage to designated places. It'll be moved to disposal
plants by the local environmental protection bureau."?
"All tour guides and staff at tourist attractions have to
receive environmental protection-based training," said Gor Gor,
director of Lhasa Tourism Bureau.
"They're required to explain the importance of environmental
protection among tourists," Gor added. He said tour guides would be
punished if the groups they were responsible for were found to be
dropping litter.
(China.org.cn June?26, 2006)