DESPITE continuing criticism from ecologists, work has started on the Three Gorges Dam along the Yangtze river in China, the world's largest hydroelectric project.

The project includes a 185-metre-high dam stretching about two kilometres along the third of the Yangtze river's three famous gorges and is meant to fuel China's development and save millions of people from flooding.

However, critics say silting behind the dam may result in a marsh and nine environmental groups from across the world have urged the World Bank not to fund the controversial $30-billion project.