A: In 1979, the leading group of environmental protection of Tibet Autonomous
Region was founded, marking the standardization of Tibetan environmental protection
undertakings. The Tibet Autonomous Region Environmental Protection Committee,
established in 1990, has further consolidated the unified leadership regarding
Tibet's environmental protection. Tibet's environmental protection undertakings
have now begun to take shape, with environmental protection bureaus established
at autonomous region level as well as in various prefectures. There are also 12
professional environmental protection institutes, all staffed by professional
managerial and technological personnel. Investment in pollution control has increased
dramatically. To eliminate Lhasa's industrial smoke and dust alone 3 million yuan
has been invested. In 1990, an up-to-date environmental monitoring building,
the first of its kind in Tibet, was constructed in Lhasa, with 7 sub-monitoring
stations around the city. The building is equipped with the most advanced environmental
monitoring apparatus. The environmental monitoring station in Xigaze, the second
largest city in Tibet, was constructed and put into operation in 1993. The Qamdo
environmental monitoring station, located in eastern Tibet, is under construction.
A monitoring network covering the whole of Tibet has taken shape. Construction
projects that may cause damage to the environment are subject to two systems:
an "environment impact evaluation" system, and a system necessitating
design, construction, and operation of both the principal project and pollution
control facilities. In 1988, the relevant local departments closed a number of
small pollutant enterprises, and required other pollutant enterprises to make
necessary modifications within a designated period of time. It also published
a telephone number for reporting environmental offenses in the Tibet Daily, and
called on the public to participate in environmental monitoring. While implementing
a rational urban construction plan and afforestation policy, the local government
also attaches great importance to disseminating information on environmental protection
through the media and various other activities. In recent years, the relevant
technological and research departments have conducted investigations on certain
important issues, such as the source of industrial pollution in Tibet, and resources
of flora and fauna. |