Lately, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) Community Conservation Area for wetland at Hutuo River (CCAfa) volunteers team discovered during the patrol of the Huangbizhuang Reservoir in Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province that the Niuchenggou section of the reservoir was crowded by speedboats, and most tourists did not wear life jackets and walked freely in the reservoir area.
It is reported that here in 2014, there was a ship-over accident that an overloaded illegal speedboat with tourists. The accident caused five people to fall into the water and die. Although the relevant local authorities have repeatedly banned it, it does not seem to have achieved practical results. The reservoir is a first-grade water source protection area for drinking water. Fishing, boat rides and other activities are strictly prohibited in the reservoir.
Some media reporter went there to investigate and found that the local villagers illegally operated cruise ships/speedboats in the reservoir, which posed a threat to the safety of tourists and caused severe damage to the water environment. It is reported that the local illegal cruise ships will continue to operate until November, not to mention the holidays or the peak tourist season. And this illegally operated wharf is more than a kilometer away from the location of the local management office.
According to investigations, after the accident where the cruise ship killed five people a few years ago, the relevant departments have stepped up their control. The illegal ships once disappeared, but it has recently revived.
According to Zhang Yinghui, director of the CBCGDF CCA for wetland at Hutuo River, there are no safety belts, life buoys and other equipment on the cruise ships docked by the reservoir. Most tourists who choose to take a boat at the pier do not consciously put on life jackets as well.
Second, as an important flood control project, the reservoir undertakes an important role in regulating water flow, and its purpose is not to provide tourists with a place to play. As for the reservoir, the relevant departments have issued warnings that if an accident occurs, the parties themselves will bear the consequences. However, the actual situation is that, despite repeated warnings from the flood control department, some tourists still want to go down the river, which poses a hidden danger to the safety of themselves. In front of nature, no one is an outsider. Many local people and tourists need to raise awareness to have a little more awe of nature and more responsibility for life. The CBCGDF CCAfa site takes this to remind the public of their awareness.
(Photo credit: CBCGDF volunteer)
By / Maggie
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