【新唐人2013年04月01日讯】中国大陆水利部最新公布《第一次全国水利普查公报》，数据显示中国河流正在以每年一千条的惊人速度消亡，流域面积在100平方公里及以上的河流，已锐减一半。环保专家指出，中共当局的过度开发资源，以及不可持续的发展政策，是导致中国河流消失、和水资源短缺的主要原因，而日益严重的环境问题也为社会不稳定埋下了祸根。
根据水利部公布的《第一次全国水利普查公报》，中国流域面积在100平方公里以上河流有22909条，而距离30年前上一次普查得出的数量还是5万多条。这缺失的27000条河流到哪里去了呢？中国环境问题再次引起国际关注。
北京的环保官员承认，河流数目大幅度减少的主要原因是：政府对河流资源进行的过度开发。其中主要包括过度开发地下水、和环境破坏、以及森林荒漠化。
四川省地矿局教授级总工程师、水利专家范晓认为，中国河流的问题，是整个环境恶化反应的一个方面，如果不能得到遏制，将导致不可逆转的环境破坏，以及生物灭绝，后果非常可怕。
四川省地矿局总工程师、水利专家范晓：“现在城市不断扩展，开发区也好，工业区也好，它都会占用大量土地，很多就用填埋河流来做的。另外就是大部分的水电开发，大量的截水，引水，很多工程也导致河流断流或者消亡。”
联合国报告宣称，中国是全球水资源短缺最严重的13个国家之一。“水资源问题”正在成为中国的一个巨大民生问题。官方数据显示，由于污水排放，中国40%的河流被严重污染，20%的河流水质完全无法使用。
英国《泰晤士报》援引环境专家的批评说，“河流消失”显示了草率、缺乏公共咨询的过度开发恶果。还有批评声音说，像三峡大坝这样的工程也是河流消失的原因之一。
范晓认为，中共政府急功近利的过度开发政策，以及一味的追求自身利益的本质，是导致河流消失，生态环境恶化的罪魁祸首。
范晓：“因为现在中国的整个一个发展模式就是一个不可持续的模式，以过度的消耗环境和资源为代价。不光对环境带来破坏，当然也给老百姓,给民众的生活造成很多问题。只考虑眼前那些利益，这个当然政府是有很大责任的。”
对于中国的河流危机，其实早在十年前就有专家发出“中国河流全面告急”的警告。而一些濒临消失的河流，污染的严重程度令人怵目惊心。近期更出现黄浦江漂浮1万6千多头死猪、四川河流漂浮上千只死鸭等事件，当地饮水危机引发民众不满，3月23号，上海民众响应微博号召，集体到外滩散步，抗议当局处理“死猪”事件不力。
而中共新总理李克强最近承诺，在环境污染问题上要更加透明。有分析认为，这是因为，当局已经发现，环境问题正在成为社会不稳定的一个因素。
范晓：“至少十几年来，它（环境污染问题）本身就是一个不稳定一个很重要的因素，很多的 我们看到抗议的事件，公众的一个他们叫群体事件，就是因为环境问题爆发出来的，每天都非常多的，而且也是很大的。”
《泰晤士报》发表社论指称，环境污染已经代替过去的征地纠纷，成为让中国人最愤怒的问题。河流的消失，对中国既是环境问题，也是个社会问题。
采访/张天宇 编辑/许旻 后制/陈建铭
Why Are Half of the Rivers Disappearing in China?
The first national water census was conducted
by the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources.
It show that rivers in China are disappearing
at the alarming rate of 1,000 per year.
Half of the rivers with catchment areas
over 100 square kilometers have gone.
Environmentalists blame over-exploitation of natural
resources, as well as unsustainable development policies.
These policies come from the Chinese regime, and are the
main causes for rivers disappearing and water shortages.
Increasingly environmental problems
pose threat to Chinese society.
The Chinese Ministry of Water Resources’
has conducted it’s first national water census.
It revealed that there are 22,909 rivers with
catchment areas over 100 square kilometers.
This is in comparison to 30 years ago, when
there were more than 50,000 rivers of that size.
Where have the 27,000 rivers gone? This issue
has immediately drawn international attention.
Beijing’s environmental protection officials admitted
that the main reason for the decreasing number of
rivers is the excessive development of the rivers.
This includes over-usage of groundwater reserves, the
destruction of the environment, and desertification of forests.
Fan Xiao, water expert and chief engineer of Sichuan
Bureau of Geology and Mineral, commented.
Fan believes China’s river issue reflects
the larger scale damage to the environment.
If this continues, the damage will become
irreversible, and organisms will become extinct.
The consequences are frightening.
Fan Xiao, chief engineer of Sichuan
Geology and Mineral Bureau:
“With the expansion of cities, construction of businesses
and industrial parks took place on landfills over rivers.
Also, the majority of water conservancy development
is derived from intercepting rivers ,and diverting water.
These constructions either cut off
the river flow or simply kill the river.”
The United Nations has listed China as one of
the 13 countries most affected by water scarcity.
Water has become a huge livelihood issue.
Chinese official data shows that effluent discharge
has led to 40% of rivers being seriously polluted.
20% of the rivers have water
quality which is totally unusable.
The Times reported, “environmental experts say that
the disappearance of the rivers is a real and a direct
manifestation of headlong, ill-conceived development.
This is where projects are often imposed
or approved without public consultation.”
It also said that, “large hydroelectric projects such as the
Three Gorges Dam… were likely to have played a role.”
Fan Xiao believes the Communist regime’s policies
for quick success and a nature of blindly pursuing
interests have over-exploited the rivers.
They are the main culprits for rivers vanishing,
and for environmental deterioration.
Fan Xiao: “Current developments in
China are an unsustainable model.
This is at the cost of excessive
consumption of natural resources.
It destructs nature, and causes great pain to the
people. The government is responsible for it.”
More than 10 years ago, experts have warned
about the crisis China’s rivers were facing.
The pollution of some rivers nearing
disappearance is also shocking.
Recently, more than 16,000 dead pigs
were discovered in Huangpu River.
In addition, thousands of dead
ducks were found in Sichuan river.
This has triggered public discontent
over the threat to water quality.
On March 23, Shanghai residents protested
over the ineffective handling of the dead pigs incident by the authorities.
Protestors walked along the river.
The new Chinese Premier Li Keqiang
pledged more transparent pollution policies.
It is believed that the pollution issue has
become an issue of unrest for the authorities.
Fan Xiao: “For at least ten years,
pollution has been a social issue.
Many protests are because of pollution.
It is happening everyday and
getting more and more serious.”
The Times commentary has indicated that
the pollution has replaced the land grabbing
issue, and has angered the most Chinese.
It stated, “The disappearance of rivers poses
both an environmental and social threat to China.”
