**Another 300,000 people are to be moved from their homes because of China’s massive Three Gorges dam, state media have reported.**The relocations are necessary to prevent pollution in the reservoir, and to protect people against hazards like landslides, the China Daily said.
Nearly 1.3 million people have already been moved from the area.
The dam is the biggest in the world, and opponents have long criticised its huge human and environmental costs.
Controversial project
“An eco-screen, or buffer belt, is waiting for approval to be built alongside the reservoir to improve the water quality of the Yangtze River streams and reduce the contamination from residents living nearby,” Hu Jiahai, a deputy of the local people’s congress, told the China Daily newspaper.
“Additionally, more people will have to move out of the area to avoid geographic hazards, like landslides,” he added.
He said the exact number who would need to move depended on an assessment of the geology of the area.
The Three Gorges dam has been controversial from its inception.
It was championed by former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Officially, the infrastructure project has cost $27.2bn (£16.7m), but others believe the real price could be much higher.
Critics claim it will cause massive environmental destruction, and others say the forced resettlement of nearby villagers has left many without compensation.
Scientists also caused concern when they said the massive weight of the swelling reservoir was causing an increase in seismic activity and landslides in the area.
The Three Gorges hydroelectric project is expected to produce 100bn kilowatt-hours of electricity a year when it reaches its full capacity, according to Xinhua state news agency.