Pudong Lingang original ecological beach has become an "Internet celebrity" and environmental pollution is heartbreaking

"This is my favorite beach. It hurts to see it become what it is now!" Xiao Han, a senior student at Shanghai Ocean University, recently called a reporter to reflect: Pudong Lingang is a pristine beach. This summer, due to the holding of events such as Dishui Lake Music Festival and Kite Festival, it has become a new "Internet celebrity" filming location and natural bathing beach. The large influx of people not only creates hidden dangers for their own safety, but also damages the beach environment by producing domestic garbage.

What is the current situation of this beach? Reporters visited the site.

Tourists ignored safety by crossing the isolation zone

On the evening of August 13, the reporter followed Xiao Han to this beach. Standing on the left embankment of Yangshan Port of the East China Sea Bridge, you can see the beach after low tide shining in the sunset, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds, like a mirror in the sky. Just after the typhoon, the sea breeze took away the heat. Looking from a distance, there were many tourists on the beach, and some people were swimming and playing in the sea water. But it is not easy to get down to the beach. There is only one passage on this endless embankment that can be climbed down to the beach. If you don't take this road, you have to climb over the embankment, take the gravel slope or cross the large reed swamp, and then climb over a 5-meter-wide wave-proof isolation zone made of stones to reach it.

The reporter observed on the embankment for nearly half an hour and found that most tourists climbed over the embankment and isolation zone to go to the beach. Is this isolation belt easy to climb? The reporter experienced it personally. He walked to the edge of the isolation belt and touched the stones with his hands. They were a little slippery and would slip off the stones if he was not careful.

A vendor doing business on the beach said that despite the calm conditions at the moment, the high tide is quite scary, and the water can rise up to the chest at once. Big waves sometimes jump over the reeds and hit the dam steps. Vendors know the tide is risky, but what about tourists? The reporter randomly asked a mother with her children, who said nonchalantly: "We have come here many times to play, but we have never encountered them. When the tide is really high, just run up." In the exchange with many parents , most of the answers reporters got were like this.

As a student of Ocean University, Xiao Han is well aware of the power of the sea. “The seawater rises very quickly. Once there is a strong tide, it may be too late to run back, not to mention that you have to climb over the isolation barrier to get back to the dam. If you can't escape, something bad may happen."

The reporter noticed that there was a striking "No going into the sea, no swimming" warning sign at the entrance to the road on the embankment. Tourists basically ignore it. There are no other measures to block tourists at the site, and there are no lights on the passage. It is impossible to "point out" the direction to those farther away from the shore at night.

The environmental pollution on the beach is heartbreaking

Walking along the coast, the reporter saw layers of plastic bags, cigarette butts, fast food boxes, mineral water bottles, fishing nets, etc. piled up under the dam, and there were even more BBQ bamboo sticks were scattered among them, mixed with the smell of oily smoke from the barbecue on the shore. Ms. Liu, who lives nearby, said: "These garbage are all left by tourists." Although sanitation workers cleaned up, they only targeted the garbage on the embankment. "The environmental pollution on the beach is heartbreaking. If the garbage on the beach is allowed to be swept away by the waves, it will also pollute the sea." Ms. Liu is very worried.

Another gentleman on the embankment said that to reduce garbage, stopping small traders and hawkers at the source might be a way. But an urban management coordinator at the scene said helplessly: "We only take care of what's on the dyke, and the beach below is not under our jurisdiction. These small vendors are 'guerrillas'. If they see us coming, they will run down there."

At the scene, the reporter met Professor Yang from the Maritime University, who was also worried about the environment of this beach. As far as he knows, several nearby universities often organize students to come to the beach to pick up garbage. "But now more and more people come to play, and there are more and more garbage. It is impossible to pick up garbage by just picking up."

Send special personnel to inspect and clean up regularly in the morning and evening

Who will be responsible for the management and guidance of the safety and environment of the Lingang beach? The reporter contacted the relevant departments.

The relevant person in charge of the Lingang New Area Management Committee stated that the 315 square kilometers within the embankment are under its jurisdiction, and the remaining tidal flats are managed by the Oceanographic Bureau or Seawall Department.

This regional landscape is rare in Shanghai and has seen a surge in tourists in recent times. The management committee has noticed this situation and from a safety perspective has posted notices and warning signs near the embankment to remind tourists to pay attention to safety. Local governments will fulfill their territorial responsibilities and work with relevant departments to strengthen management.

The local flood control department stated that due to the lack of legal basis, coercive means cannot currently be used to restrict tourists from visiting public areas. Only when severe weather such as typhoons occurs, the Maritime Border Guard Brigade will close roads and mark out warning areas. Normally, the management department can only persuade tourists and hope that tourists will improve their safety awareness. There are no street lights on the road leading to the beach because the wind on the beach is strong and the light poles are easily blown over, posing a safety hazard. They are also prone to corrosion from sea water, causing electric shock accidents. Generally speaking, there is basically no electrical equipment installed outside the seawall.

The reporter called the relevant person in charge of the Tidal Flats and Seawalls Department of the Municipal Water Affairs Bureau (Oceanic Bureau) to consult on beach safety and environmental issues. The other party said that an inspection team has been arranged, with a dedicated person responsible for inspection every three or four kilometers, and the garbage will be cleaned twice regularly in the morning and evening. However, the person in charge also said that although tidal flat management is similar to urban grid management, due to its special geographical location, it is more difficult to rely on human surveillance at all times. However, we will increase patrols in the future to try to keep the beach as tidy as possible. We will also add eye-catching safety signs as appropriate to remind tourists to cherish life.