A work team composed of over 100 Chinese experts arrived at the Three Gorges reservoir area on Saturday to start an on-location check of the resident relocation work completed under the second phase of the Three Gorges Project.

According to Gao Jinbang, vice director of the Three Gorges Project Construction Committee Office (TGPCCO), these experts mainly come from the TGPCCO, Land and Resources Ministry, Health Ministry, Communications Ministry, State Environmental Protection Administration, State Forestry Administration, State Archives Administration and other related organs.

Gao said that 12 counties and districts in Hubei Province and Chongqing Municipality that are within the reservoir area and under the 135-meter water level will undergo the professional inspection.

Experts will inspect and evaluate the clearance of the reservoir bottom, relocation of residents, construction of new cities and towns for the shifted people, relocation of local industrial and mining enterprises, special restoration projects, environmental protection, protection of cultural relics, archive administration and prevention of geological disasters, Gao said.

According to the rules for the final check over the people relocation work completed during the second phase of the major water conservation project promulgated by the TGPCCO, the experts will first listen to reports of local governments.

Besides inquiries, the experts are required to carry out selective examinations to verify the reports and to form assessments based on on-the-spot checks.

The rules also stipulate that the 12 counties and districts should immediately rectify and reform in line with the suggestions of the experts, in a bid to ensure the successful filling of the reservoir in June.

"As a prelude to the state-class final inspection scheduled on April 24-27, the experts' check will have significant influence both on the results of the final inspection and on the smooth water storage for the reservoir," said Gao Jinbang.

From the end of 2002 to the beginning of 2003, counties and districts along the reservoir area all passed self-checks and the provincial or municipal elementary inspection and most have finished rectifying and reforming some special projects proposed in these examinations.

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