Unapproved golf course sparks probe in Shaanxi

An unapproved golf course has been operating for over a decade in a desertified area in Yulin, Shaanxi province, raising concerns about illegal construction and environmental impact. Local government is investigating the case, China News Service reported on Tuesday.

The golf course, located in the Yulin Sand Forest Park, occupies nearly 200 hectares of land, according to the report.

The report said it was built in 2008 without the approval procedures, violating a 2004 directive from the State Council that suspended the construction of new golf courses.

The CNS reported that the golf course has 18 fairways and all the above-ground structures were built without approval. This raises questions about how such a project could be developed in violation of a national ban. In addition, the golf course's high water consumption for maintaining the turf is a concern in the water-scarce and environmentally fragile region of Yulin.

In response to public concern, a joint investigation team has been formed by the Yulin government, consisting of departments such as the development and reform commission, bureaus of resources management, public security, ecological and environment, water resources, forestry and urban management, Yulin Daily reported on Tuesday.