Reconstruction to be finished in 3 years in Qinghai quake zone
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Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang has called on reconstruction teams to finish their work within three years in the earthquake stricken areas of the northwestern Qinghai Province.
Li, also member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Political Bureau, made the remark during a visit Monday and Tuesday in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, epicenter of a 7.1-magnitude earthquake on April 14.
He asked relief workers to finish removing debris, select the site of a new township and the layout of urban and rural areas by the end of May.
By the end of this year, reconstruction teams should strive to finish all reinforcement work for reparable buildings in the quake zone, finish building new homes for most rural residents and herdsmen, and start building new homes for most urban residents, Li said.
He asked local government officials to ensure that all quake survivors get enough and safe food, water and other necessities.
Li urged local health and disease control personnel to prevent disease outbreaks and prepare effective treatments for altitude sickness before reconstruction workers arrived.
Visiting a residential construction site in Jiegu Town, Li urged that the quality of new homes should be guaranteed.
He also encouraged local quake survivors to overcome difficulties to resume their normal lives.
Supplies of water and electricity as well as transport are being restored in the severely damaged Jiegu Town.
Li outlined five aspects for the future relief work:
-- Funding for quake survivors' subsidies, emergency rescue and temporary resettlement must be secured.
-- Authorities should work out a general plan and special projects for reconstruction as soon as possible. The central government would provide favorable tax, loans, land and employment policies.
-- Before large-scale reconstruction, designs for residential houses and public facilities should be prioritized.
-- Heating and winter tents should be prepared for survivors who could not move into new buildings before cold weather arrives.
-- School buildings, hospitals as well as water, electricity, telecommunications and transport facilities should be prioritized in reconstruction.
Ethnic customs and traditions should be respected, he said.
