Tonglu township reaps dividends from green development

A view of Zhongshan township in Tonglu county, East China's Zhejaing province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhongshan township, which was formerly plagued with pollution issues, has over the years been transformed into a popular tourist destination due to the local government's efforts to restore the ecology and clamp down on pollution.

Official statistics show that the tourism revenue in Zhongshan, which is located in Zhejiang province's Tonglu county, rose 441 percent from 10 million yuan ($1.54 million) in 2016 to 54.08 million yuan in 2021.

The stone industry in the township has been a pillar industry since the 1990s. At its peak, the annual output value of this industry was 500 million yuan, making Zhongshan one of the most properous in Tonglu.

However, these economic gains were achieved at the cost of the environment - the air was constantly filled with dust and waste stones littered the landscape.

To tackle this problem, the local government launched a campaign to upgrade the local stone industry. In 2021, 51 stone enterprises were demolished in Zhongshan, and some of the land was transformed into rice fields. The authorities also relocated many stone companies to an industrial park with stringent environmental requirements.

In addition, several measures have been taken to monitor local water quality and stop pollution.

A homestay in Zhongshan township, Tonglu county, East China's Zhejaing province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Visitors go rafting in Zhongshan township, Tonglu county, East China's Zhejaing province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]