The city of Harbin, Heilongjiang province recently announced a comprehensive campaign to clean up several of its major waterways, wetlands and beaches with a detailed plan on its goals and methods, which will through this coming May.

The plan calls for the clean-up work to cover four districts – Daoli, Daowai, Songbei and Hulan -- as well as illegal buildings and construction work, sandpits, wharves, and any activity that affects the ecology and environment.

The authorities say all that, already, some unauthorized construction projects along the Qunli Bund in the Daoli district have been demolished and some stray boats and rubbish piles cleaned up. They also say that there will be full-time staff to oversee the clean-up progress on beaches and wetlands in Daowai and Songbei.