New seat plan of China's quake-hit county released for feedback

Special Report:Reconstruction After Earthquake

CHENGDU, Feb. 10 (Chinese media) -- The construction plan for the new county seat

of Beichuan, a worst-hit area in China's May 12 massive quake last year,

unveiled Monday for public feedback.

The new county seat is two km east of Anchang Town in Anxian County and 23

km from the former one. It covers an area of eight square kilometers. Anchang

Town also becomes part of Beichuan seat.

The new county will have a park in memory of quake relief work and several

other scenic parks, according to the plan revealed to the public Monday by the

Beichuan county government.

Zhu Ziyu, a chief designer with the China Academy of Urban Planning

Design, the plan's author, said the new county seat would serve as a center of

government bodies, culture, industry, tourism and other public services.

Anchang Town will mainly be used for housing and commerce.

To collect public opinions will make the plan more scientific and feasible,

according to Zhu. The opinion collection will end on Feb. 28.

The former seat of Beichuan, on the juncture of two fault lines, was

leveled in the devastating quake, which left more than 69,000 people dead and

374,000 injured. Another 18,000 are missing and millions were left homeless.

The construction of the new county seat has been planned to begin at the

end of this month.

The new town is expected to have 58,000 residents in 2010 and 110,000 in

2020.