On March 8th, our reporter learned from Sichuan Provincial Leading Group Office implementing measures guided by the Central Environmental Protection Inspection Group’s feedback that our province has actively rectified the environmental protection issues of the nature reserves responding to feedback from the Central Environmental Protection Inspection Group. As of now,rectification of90% of the involved 334 mineral resources exploration and development projects, namely 299, was completedaccording to the standards of “closingmines, dismantling equipment, and restoring vegetation”.

　　The Central Environmental Protection Inspection Group pointed out that the problem of ecological destruction in some areas of Sichuan is relatively serious during its visit here last year. There were 1252 ecological and environmental problems in 130 nature reserves, of which 334 were of right to use mineral resources. Therefore, our province has successively formulated and issued Emergency Notice on Practically Strengthening Nature Protection and Rectification of National Park’s Mining Rights,which is to resolutely curbthe exploration and development of all mineral resources in the nature reserve.

　　Officials of the above office said that recently Sichuan Province has conducted comparative accountsrectification, including immediate, short-term, and time-limited ones for a comprehensive rectification of the exploration and development of mineral resources in nature reserves. At the same time, a joint meeting system of special supervision issues in nature reserves is established, which holds a joint meeting every quarter and schedules the rectification of problems every week.

　　In response to the problems of small hydro power stations in nature reserves, our province has sent several supervision groups to guide these projects on site, so as to effectively promote their rectification in an orderly manner in relevant cities (prefectures) in accordance with laws and regulations. According to statistics, there are 309 small hydro power projects in nature reserves in our province. As of now, 90% of those in the core areas and buffer zones of the nature reserve have been shut down with a rectification completion rate of 60%.

　　“Solving ecological environment problems is a long-term task. We must keep a close eye on it and never retreat until they are all solved.” Officials mentioned above said that Sichuan Province will speed up the revision of Regulations on the Administration of Natural Reserves in Sichuan Province and strengthen the law enforcement and supervision in nature reserves. A joint law enforcement inspection will be conducted once every two years for appraisal and assessment of the national and provincial nature reserves. At the same time, the local nature reserves will be further optimized and adjusted to ensure that the ecological layout and functions is more scientific and rational and the quality of the ecological environment is steadily improving.