I have been to many beautiful mountain villages, including those in China and Afghanistan. Some are poor, and some are rich. Briefly speaking there are two types of these, some were and are poor so far, and some were poor in the past but now have become rich. Why is there such a big difference in the state of their development? Is there only one choice between protecting natural ecological resources and developing industrial economy? These problems have been bothering me for a long time. Not long ago, I visited Chun’an County, Zhejiang Province, where Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake) is located and its high-quality water resources are famous all over China. There I also found my own answers to the above questions.
The so-called Thousand Island Lake, literally you can see that there are countless green islands in the lake. Qiandao Lake is actually an artificial lake, or a reservoir, covering an area of 580 square kilometers. Overlooking Qiandao Lake, it is like a jade belt inlaid with countless sapphires. The water quality of Qiandao Lake is excellent, and it is the main drinking water source for tens of millions of local people. The fishes from Qiandao Lake are famous all over the country for their good taste. How to protect the clears water and green mountains has become an important task for the local people.
When it comes to protection, many people associate it with the word “Prohibition”, such as prohibition on the construction of industrial projects, prohibition on the use of pesticides, prohibition on over development and so on. It is true that water resources are both important and fragile. Industrial wastewater, pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture and animal husbandry, and even domestic garbage of local residents may cause irreversible damage to the water quality of Qiandao Lake. Through scientific and technological innovation, the local government and people have gradually explored a new water protection path, striving to find a balance between protecting the environment and enriching the people. During this trip, I visited Anyang Township, Chun’an County, and went to the ecological rice fields and tea gardens built by local farmers under the guidance of a doctor of Peking University. From the source of planting, to the fields and then to the product sales, the comprehensive management of precision fertilization, emission control and high-quality products has been realized. The good products produced among clear waters and green mountains have both quality guarantee and price advantage. Let the people gain money from the protecting actions, and take the road of sustainable development of rural revitalization.
I have to talk about the mountain villages in Afghanistan now. There is no doubt that Afghanistan is a beautiful country, although it is suffering from war for a long time. The Hindu Kush mountain extends from northeast to southwest in the country, and many peaks of it are covered by heavy snow all year round. The pure snow water flowing down from the mountains nourishes tens of millions of Afghans and forms many gem like lakes and rivers. Not to mention the rich mineral resources buried in these mountains, many people know that the taste of grapes, pomegranates and apricots in Afghanistan is much sweeter than that in other areas under the irrigation of snow water. However, the development task facing the Afghan government and people is more urgent and heavy. But China’s experience tells us that we should not sacrifice long-term interests for immediate interests, and we should not follow the old road of pollution before development.
Getting both clear waters and green mountains as well as invaluable assets is not extravagant hopes. Clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets.
