Operating without any procedures for more than ten years, illegal construction of golf courses in the desertification area of Yulin, Shaanxi | Yulin | region
On September 11th, a reporter from China Central Radio and Television (CCTV) conducted on-site interviews and investigations in Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, and found that in the Yulin Sandland Forest Park, 16 kilometers northwest of Yulin City, a golf course covering nearly 3000 acres is currently open for business in a project called "Green Taosha Desert Ecological City". Yulin City is located in the northern part of Shaanxi Province, at the junction of the Maowusu Sandy Land and the Loess Plateau. With an annual precipitation of only about 400 millimeters, it belongs to a semi-arid continental monsoon climate and is a typical area of desertification and desertification. Why can a golf course be built in Yulin City, where there is a severe water shortage? The reporter conducted on-site visits.
During the visit, the reporter learned that the golf course belongs to the reservation system, and there are security guards at the entrance of the ecological park. Non members and reservation customers are prohibited from entering. Under the guidance of the local people, the reporter saw the scene inside through aerial photography. Almost all the lawns in the ecological park are newly trimmed, arranged in a staggered manner according to the terrain. Electric scooters shuttle guests between different green areas, and many people are also swinging and playing ball on the lawn. After multiple contacts, the reporter entered the golf course within the "Green Taosha Desert Ecological City". The course staff explained that the golf course started construction in 2008 and was open to the public in 2011. The planning of the golf course exceeds 4000 acres, as the entire course is distributed among numerous sand dunes with large undulations in the fairway. Playing here is more challenging than ordinary golf courses, and it is a rare desert golf course in China. The stadium adopts a reservation and membership system, with a minimum membership card of 320000 yuan and a business card of 46800 yuan. The staff said that although the price is expensive, there are many people coming to play every day, ranging from 70 to 80 people to nearly 200 people.
In 2004, the General Office of the State Council issued a notice on suspending the construction of new golf courses. Starting from January 10, 2004, local governments at all levels and all departments of the State Council are not allowed to approve the construction of new golf course projects. Why did the golf course in the "Green Taosha Desert Ecological City" of Yulin City start construction in 2008? Are there any relevant approval procedures for the stadium? On September 12th, in response to this issue, the reporter visited the Yulin Development and Reform Commission. The staff of the Social Development Department of the Yulin Development and Reform Commission stated that the Green Taosha Golf Course has not completed the project approval procedures. The reporter learned from the Yulin Natural Resources and Planning Bureau that the Green Taosha Golf Course is an illegal construction project without approval procedures. After comparing the satellite maps of the second and third national land surveys by the data center, it was determined that before the construction of the golf course, the land was classified as "shrub land". Preliminary statistics show that the Green Taosha Golf Course, with only 18 lanes, covers an area of 2960 acres, and all above ground buildings are considered to have been built before approval.
Bai Ge, the captain of the Fourth Brigade of the Law Enforcement Detachment of the Yuyang District Natural Resources Bureau in Yulin City, said that they have repeatedly stopped the Green Taosha Golf Course and fined more than 2 million yuan in total. The reporter learned from the golf course staff that the course has been punished multiple times, and after each fine, it will be closed for a few days before continuing to operate. As is well known, golf projects consume a large amount of water resources due to the maintenance of lawns. Yulin City is located in an arid and semi-arid area, which is a typical ecologically fragile area. Why can a golf course without any approval procedures be built under the national ban, with repeated fines and opening? How to solve the water consumption of golf courses in severely water scarce areas? The head office reporter is currently conducting further visits and investigations on related issues.