Barrage of rows

Feasibility feud The us $25 billion Three Gorges Dam in China, already at the centre of a raging dispute, has become embroiled in a fresh controversy. The pro-dam lobby has been contending that the structure is needed to prevent floods caused by the Yangtze river and to meet power demand. But critics aver that the project is not a practical solution to tackle either problem and could, on the contrary, cause severe pollution and silting. Now, China's state media reports have exacerbated the situation, stating that a 600-kilometre reservoir behind the dam -- when full -- could trigger geological disasters in the surrounding areas. The government has reportedly set aside us $480 million to prevent disasters at about 2,500 dangerous sites around the reservoir.