China has seen some 1,000 inland lakes disappeared over the past 50 years, as 20 natural lakes are dying out every year at an average rate, an environment expert has said in Beijing, calling for immediate rescue efforts.

About 70 percent rivers and lakes scattered across the country are suffering pollution in varying degrees, and 75 percent of lakes have been stricken with different levels of eutrophic environment, said Chen Bangzhu, chairman of the Committee of Population, Resources and Environment under the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), on the sidelines of the ongoing annual session of the top advisory body.

Many inland lakes in north China are turning salty and dry while others in the south are shrinking, Chen noted.

Ni Guoxi, member of the CPPCC National Committee's Standing Committee, suggested the establishment of a "green" GDP evaluation mechanism to link environmental protection results to the examination and rating of officials.

Balance should be maintained between natural resource exploitation and environmental protection, and special laws and regulations focusing on major rivers and lakes should be worked out to achieve effective protection results, said Dang Dexin, another official with the Committee of Population, Resources and Environment of the CPPCC National Committee.

(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2006)