STORY: Relocated villagers thrive as China's mega water diversion project marks 10th anniversary
SHOOTING TIME: Oct. 30, 2024
DATELINE: Oct. 31, 2024
LENGTH: 0:02:48
LOCATION: SHIYAN, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP (English): WANG SIBAN, Xinhua correspondent
2. various of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project and Caiwan village
3. SOUNDBITE (English): HE SHULAN, Villager of Caiwan Village

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): WANG SIBAN, Xinhua correspondent
"This year marks the 10th anniversary of the operation of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project. I'm here in Caiwan Village, near the Danjiangkou Reservoir in central China. This is where the project's middle route begins, channeling clean water from the Han River, a major Yangtze tributary to the country's arid north.
Thirteen years ago, villagers moved here to make way for the rising reservoir. Today, let's find out how they have embraced their new lives here."

At first, many villagers were reluctant to leave their ancestral homes. However, the local government worked with great effort to assure them of a smooth transition and a promising future in their new settlement.

Upon relocation, each household was provided with a new home, offering 25 square meters per person, along with some farmland as fair compensation.

To further support livelihoods, the village established an agricultural company, creating job opportunities for villagers and enabling them to earn about 90 yuan (about 12.6 U.S. dollars) per day.

The village has also enhanced villagers' incomes through a range of initiatives, including photovoltaic projects, weaving workshops, and rural tourism.

The average disposable income of the villagers reached 21,000 yuan (about 2,950 U.S. dollars) last year.

SOUNDBITE (English): HE SHULAN, Caiwan villager
"I can obtain medical services from the health station and also buy daily necessities from the grocery store."

He Shulan, 75 years old, told us that life in the new village is both convenient and fulfilling.

The community offers various facilities, including a small grocery store, a logistics station, a library, and a communal cafeteria where meals only cost two yuan (about 0.28 U.S. dollars) for residents of her age.

Residents here have developed a strong appreciation for environmental protection.

A wastewater treatment facility and a kitchen waste disposal station were established to ensure the reservoir stays clean. And the villagers often work as volunteers to safeguard the natural surroundings.

About 180,000 residents in Hubei had relocated for this vital project about a decade ago. Since water diversion began in 2014, the Danjiangkou Reservoir has delivered over 60 billion cubic meters of water to China's northern regions, including the capital city of Beijing, and benefited more than 100 million people.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Shiyan, China.
(XHTV)