The rising number of ski resorts in Beijing is being held partly responsible for the city's shortage of water and some destruction of land, according to Xinhua News Agency on July 17.

"All ski resorts in Beijing consume groundwater -- an important source of the city's tap water -- to make artificial snow," said Wang Fude, deputy director of Beijing International Studies University's Academy of Tourism Development.

All 13 ski resorts in the capital have dug their own wells more than 100 meters deep and pump up 3.8 million cubic meters of water each year, according to research by Wang.

"That means they consume the annual water consumption of 42,000 local residents. The development of ski resorts in Beijing lacks both scientific evaluation and guidance from governments at all levels, and more suburban resorts are still being planned," Wang said.

The thirsty city, where per capita water resources are less than 300 cubic meters -- 4 percent of the world average and 15 percent the national average -- has suffered from drought for six consecutive years.

"Water is so precious in Beijing," Wang said. "Beijingers can afford to live without skiing but they cannot live without water."

The first indoor ski resort in the city will open to the public next week, equipped with two ski runs and covered with half a meter of snow.

Qiaobo Ski Resort, named after Ye Qiaobo, who won China's first silver medal in the Winter Olympics at the Albertville Games 10 years ago, has cost over 600 million yuan (US$72 million).

"Unlike outdoor skiing grounds, where snow melts under the sun, snow on indoor ski runs is kept for longer at lower temperatures," said a spokesperson from the resort's marketing department yesterday.

Wang also said that building ski resorts can damage the environment as they are often built in mountain areas where vegetation is sparse.

"Once the vegetation is destroyed, it is hard to recover," he said, calling for a halt to construction and a shutdown of some of the existing pistes.

But building ski resorts in remote mountain areas of barren land could actually improve land efficiency and its value, according to Yi Xianrong, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Wen Jun, spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform, said ski resorts have not been on their agenda up to now and will be discussed at a later date.

(China Daily July 19, 2005)