Golf courses and gas stations that have been blamed for many pollution accidents in Beijing will be under close watch in the next five years, according to a government circular.

The Chinese capital will launch a geological investigation on environment around golf courses and gas stations, and then built three to five shafts around them to monitor water and earth conditions, the Beijing Times quoted the circular of the municipal geological prospecting bureau as saying Wednesday.

Most of golf courses in Beijing were built during the 1980s and 1990s near rivers and reservoirs, without taking into account the impacts on environment.

Widespread use of herbicide and pesticide at these courses has deteriorated geological environment.

Beijing's gas stations have caused many accidents of pollution on earth and underground water, as they lack environmental conservation measures in the course of construction.

Beijing will set up four stations to monitor ground subsidence in the next five years, the report said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2006)