Cabinet to restrict storm repairs in sensitive areas

CONSERVATION Officials are talking about banning farming in mountainous areas and the fixing of roads in places that are repeatedly damaged by natural disasters

By Ko Shu-ling / STAFF REPORTER

The legislature has agreed to allocate a total of NT$123.8 billion for the project, but the Cabinet has only requested NT$107.9 billion so far.

Shen Chia-ling (沈嘉玲), executive secretary-general of the Hualien Dreamers' Union, said that the Cabinet should scrap the freeway altogether, especially after Mindulle.

"Overdevelopment in mountain and hillside areas, especially on the north and west coasts, has severely weakened our homeland," Shen said. "We're calling on the government to stop the construction of the freeway, which is bound to cause environmental havoc on the last clean soil on the island."

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