On Tuesday, China stated that it will be relocating a total of 9,110 persons from the Guizhou province. This will be done to make space for the world’s largest radio telescope that is slated to become operational later in 2016. According to officials, the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) can help with the search for alien life.
Wu Xiangping, secretary general of the Chinese Astronomy Society said, “FAST can detect incredibly distant places … even extraterrestrial civilizations.” The citizens that are to be located belong to village of Pingtang and shall be provided with $1,838 and in case of any of them belong to China’s 55 recognized ethnic minorities; they will be provided another extra $1,534.
FAST’s construction kicked off back in 2011 and has cost a total of over $180 million and surpasses the Arecibo Observatory located in Puerto Rico – the previous world’s largest telescope.
This won’t be the first time that China has relocated such a high number of civilians in order to make space for projects. In fact, as per Chinese standards, this upheaval in Guizhou is quite small.
Let’s hope the Government of China delivers on its promise of relocating and providing them promised consolations.