An old Chinese saying said, ” Eat mountain’s production when live near the mountain.”(Èù†Â±±Âêɱ±Ôºâ That’s what people in Shanxi have been doing, they dig out the coal mine around them. But their life becomes a kama. The more money they make from mine, the more they endanger their homes. Their houses are collapsing. From the Washington Post:
Chen Xiao’e was home alone and fast asleep, she recalled, when the windows started to shatter for no apparent reason, like a scene out of a horror movie. “I was frightened out of my wits,” Chen said…
Da Antou, located in Shanxi province about 400 miles southwest of Beijing, has become another victim of China’s energy rush. The country’s booming economy, with growth of nearly 10 percent a year, has produced a growling hunger for coal, which fuels 70 percent of China’s energy needs. To meet the demand, coal companies have become willing to go to almost any lengths — and hamlets such as Da Antou are paying the price. [Full Text]