China may force another 2 million to 4 million people out of their homes over the next 10 to 15 years to make room for the reservoir building up behind the Three Gorges Dam — and that’s in addition to the 1.4 million citizens who have already been relocated. The “world’s biggest hydropower project” is quickly becoming a big pain in the neck, and not just for the poor, rural folks being uprooted. Recently, top government officials have spoken publicly about the serious environmental problems associated with the dam, which include polluted waters and possible landslides. Even the official Chinese news agency reported last month on a conference where experts concluded, “If no preventive measures are taken, the project could lead to catastrophe.”
