THE Japanese government is planning a new large-scale dam on Japan's third-
largest river, the Yoshino. A grassroots citizens' group, the Yoshino River
Symposium of Tokushima City, has appealed for one million letters to be
sent to the ministry of construction, asking it to halt its plans to build the
dam. The symposium warns that the newly-approved dam will be an ecological disaster. It argues that the new dam will replace a nearly 250-year-old stone
weir that has stood the test of time.
The weir attests to the farsightedness
and ingenuity of riverside residents in
past ages. It is a simple and effective
structure that has become a part of the
river Is ecosystem, working with nature
while fulfilling its function for the benefit of people. It epitomises the concept of sustainable development. The dam
will destroy-the rivermouth wetlands
and are a crucial stopover for migratory
birds that use them on their journeys.
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