China's prestigious Tsinghua University undertook an environment impact assessment (EIA) of a controversial project in the Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Place) garden in the western suburbs of Beijing, the country's environmental agency said Tuesday.

"Tsinghua has formed an expert group and will submit EIA report on the project within required period," said Pan Yue, vie director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).

He said that Beijing Normal University, which had declined to do an EIA for the project, apologized for delaying the study and expressed its willingness to cooperate with Tsinghua.

The project to line the lake bed of Yuanmingyuan with plastic sheets to prevent water from leaking into the ground has generated widespread criticism. Many say that the project would damage the park's ecosystem.

SEPA halted the project in April and ordered Yuanmingyuan to send an EIA report for approval. The EIA law stipulates that project construction can begin only after passing an EIA.

According to SEPA, Yuanmingyuan had entrusted an institution under Beijing Normal University to do the EIA for the project, and the institution originally agreed, but it turned down the offer almost one month later without a sound reason.

It is widely believed that the institution turned down the offer because it was afraid of getting caught in a cross-fire between Yuanmingyuan and the public.

On May 11, SEPA criticized the institution for delaying the EIA and recommended some other Beijing-based EIA institutions to Yuanmingyuan. It ordered the garden to submit the EIA report by the middle of June. 

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2005)