News
Sound ecology brings better life to people in Nyingchi, Tibet
By Shen Lin, Xian Gan, People’s Daily
Ecology is the most important resource in Nyingchi, southwest China’s Tibet autonomous region. In recent years, the city has strengthened ecological protection and restoration, and continuously improved its ecological environment.
Based on its advantages of sound ecology and natural beauty, Nyingchi has vigorously developed characteristic tourism and made ecotourism the most direct and effective channel for increasing the income of local farmers and herdspeople.
In Nyingchi, which hosts China’s second largest forestry area, logging used to be a major source of income for local people. Over 20 years ago, Lulang township, Bayi district of Nyingchi, had long been a state-owned forest farm.
Since Tibet completely banned logging in natural forests for commercial purposes at the end of the 20th century, Lulang township has accelerated the transformation of its growth model and concentrated efforts on ecotourism development.
In 2017, Lulang International Tourism Town, a key tourism project in the township, opened for business, thanks to the assistance provided by south China’s Guangdong province under China’s “pairing assistance” program.
In Lulang International Tourism Town, a sewage treatment plant by the roadside is particularly eye-catching.
The plant, which cost more than 25 million yuan ($3.8 million), was built for achieving the goal of net zero emissions of greenhouse gases in the town, said Wangdu, director of the Lulang Scenic Area Management Committee.
Wangdu noted that other environmental protection facilities and projects, including household waste treatment facility and landscape project, have also been introduced for the realization of the goal.
A good ecological environment represents the resources that Lulang people rely on to live a better life, noted Wangdu, who believes that only by building to high standards environmental protection facilities such as waste transfer station and sewage treatment plant and formulating strict rules and regulations on environmental protection can the local government ensure that the operation and maintenance of the town does not cause a burden to the environment.
Apart from Lulang township, environmental awareness has been integrated into the development of many other places in Nyingchi besides.
A high-standard sanitary landfill to the west of Bome county, Nyingchi, and in the south side of No. 318 National Highway is under construction. Bome county’s decision to build high-standard waste treatment facilities was based on its full consideration of local economic growth and development prospects of tourism.
The landfill, built with assistance from Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, under the “pairing assistance” program, will not pollute the soil and groundwater and can preliminarily ensure that it will emit no offensive odor, posing little threat to nearby residents’ production or way of life.
“Green” is rarely seen in the Grand Canyon of Nujiang River, which seems to be dominated by taupe stones. Surprisingly, clusters of cactuses and pomegranate trees can be found on many hillsides of Tsawarong township, Zayu county, Nyingchi, in the Grand Canyon of Nujiang River, which inject vitality into the canyon.
The cactuses naturally grow in the region and turn into trees when they are old enough. “Our cactus clusters marvelously form woods. Nowadays, more and more tourists from Yunnan province are attracted to the cactus woods, and many often stop to take pictures there,” said secretary of the Communist Party of China branch of Zuobu village, Tsawarong township.
The pomegranate trees have been planted in recent years. Villagers only grew pomegranate trees near their houses in the past; since 2018, Tsawarong township has gradually built characteristic pomegranate tree planting bases based on its plan for poverty alleviation and ecological restoration, according to Wu Mingjun, secretary of the Party committee of Tsawarong township and deputy director of the standing committee of the people’s congress of Zayu county.
The township has planted 289,100 soft-seed pomegranate trees covering an area of over 6,400 mu (about 427 hectares), Wu said, adding that in a bumper year, these pomegranate trees are expected to produce a total of 3,000 tons of pomegranates with an output value of 36.9 million yuan, which can increase the per capita income of residents in the township by about 5,700 yuan.
In the past five years, Nyingchi has planted 360,000 mu of trees, brought under control 450,000 mu of desertification areas, tended 180,000 mu of forests, and built more than 10,000 mu of fine varieties of nursery stock.
This year, it plans to green over 20,000 mu of land, including more than 15,500 mu of trees planted under key ecological restoration projects.
In the future, Nyingchi will continue to intensify efforts to restore ecosystems in key areas and carry out ecological restoration and afforestation projects, including ecological restoration at the confluence of rivers, to improve the quality and stability of its ecosystems.
While Nyingchi’s ecological environment improves, local people also enjoy a better life.
With the advancements of infrastructure projects in Nyingchi in recent years, including the expansion of Nyingchi Mainling Airport and the construction of Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway and High Grade Highway, the bottlenecks hindering Nyingchi’s ecotourism development have been removed, which allows the city to give full play to its ecological advantages.
Last year, various tourism entities in Nyingchi city drove 27,500 farmers and herdspeople to switch to a job in the tourism sector, a year-on-year increase of 4 percent. These farmers and herdspeople earned a total income of 96.36 million yuan, a rise of 16 percent from the previous year.
The number of farmers and herdspeople working in rural tourism reached 18,000 in 2021, up 0.65 percent year on year, while people’s income from jobs in the industry rose to 66.95 million yuan, an increase of 48 percent from a year before.
…Commend NCDC, 20-Year North Central Development Plan
Youth groups have hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for regional development following the establishment of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) and other regional development commissions.
The groups made the commendation in separate statements on the sidelines of a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the NCDC in Abuja.
The President of the Nigerian Youth Congress, Jethro Annum, and the NYCN State Chairman of Niger State, Ambassador Abdullahi Muhammed Ishaq, who spoke on behalf of the NYCN North Central Chairmen, described the NCDC as a catalyst for development.
They said the Commission’s 20-year development plan reflects the need for long-term planning and aligns with the broader development vision of President Tinubu for the country.
Similarly, the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI), in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Danesi Momoh, and the North Central Youth Mobilization and Sensitization (NOCYMS), led by Hon. Iorwuese Ayo Fidelis, commended the NCDC for convening a broad stakeholders’ engagement aimed at developing a clear and sustainable development direction for the region over the next 20 years.
The engagement, which brought together key stakeholders and voices from across the North Central region, was described as a significant step towards developing a plan that reflects the aspirations, realities and potential of the people.
The youth leaders described the initiative as timely and forward-looking, stressing that young people and students must remain an integral part of conversations about the future of the region.
They noted that the North Central is home to millions of young Nigerians whose energy, skills, ideas and innovation can contribute significantly to the region’s economic and social transformation when provided with the right opportunities.
“Students and young people are not only beneficiaries of development; we are also partners in building the future we desire. Any 20-year development plan for the North Central must therefore give serious attention to education, skills development, employment, entrepreneurship, technology and youth participation,” they said.
The youth representatives further assured the NCDC of their readiness to work closely with the Commission and other relevant stakeholders to advance initiatives that will create meaningful opportunities for students and young people across the region.
They expressed confidence that sustained collaboration among the Commission, governments, educational institutions, organised youth bodies, traditional institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders could help translate the region’s enormous potential into measurable and sustainable development.
…Commends Commission, Urges Quarterly Engagements
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone C, has called for sustained inclusion of students and young people in the North Central Development Commission’s (NCDC) 20-year development agenda.
The association made the call while commending the NCDC for convening a broad stakeholders’ engagement to shape a long-term development direction for the region.
The Coordinator of NANS Zone C, Comrade Abiola Azeez Babatunde, said students and young people must not be treated merely as beneficiaries of development, but as active partners in shaping the future of the North Central.
According to him, the region’s large youth population represents a significant pool of energy, skills, ideas and innovation that can contribute to economic and social transformation if properly harnessed.
“Students and young people are not only beneficiaries of development; we are also partners in building the future we desire,” he said.
Babatunde said any 20-year development plan for the region should give serious attention to education, skills development, employment, entrepreneurship, technology and youth participation.
He described the NCDC stakeholders’ engagement as timely and forward-looking, saying it provided an important platform for different interests across the region to contribute to the development conversation.
Also in attendance was Comrade Anzaku Shedrack CNS, Head of Emergency and Disaster Management, NANS, who represented the NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde GCNS.
Shedrack commended the Commission for the initiative and urged it to sustain similar engagements quarterly.
He also assured the NCDC that NANS was pleased with the 20-year development roadmap and would continue to support the Commission in advancing initiatives aimed at developing the region.
NANS Zone C further pledged to work with the Commission and other stakeholders to promote initiatives capable of creating opportunities for students and young Nigerians across the North Central.
The association called for continuous engagement with the student constituency, stressing that their experiences, concerns and ideas should form part of the region’s long-term development agenda.
It expressed optimism that sustained collaboration among the NCDC, governments, educational institutions, organised youth bodies, traditional institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders would help unlock the region’s potential and promote inclusive growth.
Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta.
Imo Lawyers for the Defence of Democracy have called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to stop what it termed public attacks on Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, saying political disagreements should be resolved through democratic dialogue and constitutional means.The group made the call in a statement signed by its Secretary, Ifeoma Chukwunyere on Friday, September 18, 2026, amid what it described as increasingly personal exchanges between Wike and Uzodinma over political developments within the All Progressives Congress.The lawyers said the APC Governors’ Forum had rejected what they described as Wike’s “Rainbow Coalition” political arrangement, arguing that the disagreement should be addressed with the forum rather than through personal attacks on Uzodinma.According to the group, the forum’s position was based on concerns that the political arrangement could weaken the APC or create divided loyalty within the party.“We recognise the constitutional right of every Nigerian, including public officials and political actors, to express political opinions, criticise policies and participate in political activities,” the group said.“However, that freedom must not become a licence for personal attacks, intimidation or unnecessary escalation.”The lawyers said Uzodinma, as the governor of Imo State, should be allowed to discharge his responsibilities without political exchanges creating tension capable of affecting the peace and stability of the state.They urged Wike to desist from further public comments concerning the governor, insisting that political disagreements should focus on policies, programmes, political positions and verifiable facts rather than personal exchanges.The group also warned political actors against turning Imo State into a battleground for political supremacy.“Imo State is not a battlefield for political supremacy. Its people have the constitutional right to choose their leaders and determine their political future without undue interference, intimidation or external pressure,” it said.The lawyers further called on political parties, leaders, supporters and media platforms to avoid inflammatory language that could provoke confrontation.They urged Uzodinma to continue to operate within the Constitution and the laws of the country, while allowing relevant political and legal institutions to handle legitimate disagreements.The group also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to encourage restraint among political actors, particularly in relation to the dispute between Wike and Uzodinma.Addressing Wike directly, the lawyers said: “Mr. Minister, Imo State belongs to its people. You are not from Imo, so stay off Imo.”They stressed that disagreements over political strategies, elections, alliances and political actors in the state should be settled through democratic debate and constitutional processes.The group said it would continue to monitor developments affecting constitutional governance, democratic participation, political freedom and peace in Imo State.“Our position is simple: Democracy must prevail. The Constitution must prevail. The rule of law must prevail,” the statement added.
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