Cable car comes to the rescue of cliff village

CHINA: A poor Chinese village accessible only by climbing steep ladders up a sheer 800-metre cliff face is to receive 630 million yuan (NZ$134m) to pay for a cable car that Beijing hopes will bring wealthy tourists.

The new funds, provided by a private tourist agency and a stateowned investment company, have been extended after shocking photographs emerged in 2016 of children scaling the cliff face to get to school.

The village, Atuleer, is to use the money to turn itself into a tourist destination, opening boutique hotels and spas to take advantage of nearby hot springs, and installing the cable car so that holidaymakers can take in the spectacular views.

The village is home to 500 people.

‘‘In the past we have relied on local produce for income, but tourism would inject a new life into the village and is the lasting way for villagers to rid themselves of poverty,’’ Pachayouge, the village chief, told Chengdu Business Daily.

Tourists have already taken an interest in the village, in the southwest Sichuan province, after the photos of the children made it internationally known and attracted thrillseekers keen to try the cliff-hugging ladders.

Chen Jie, of Beijing News, took the pictures of the cliff path showing children, carrying schoolbags, scaling the rattan ladders, the valley beneath their feet. Some of the children were tethered to their parents.

At least seven villagers have died after falling off the ladders, according to residents.

The two-hour climb is the only connection between the village and the outside world, and the 72 families in Atuleer have lived an isolated and self-sufficient but impoverished life.

Women refused to marry men who lived in the village, leaving many as bachelors.

After the photos of the climbing children were published, the local authorities spent 976,000 yuan (NZ$208,000) to replace the rattan ladders with steel ones, with 2556 rungs.

Wireless networks have also been developed, a branch of a local bank has been opened, and an electric power supply has been installed. The village now has a clinic and an early childhood learning centre. Drones have delivered vaccines for local children. – The Times

PHOTO: AP Children from Atuleer village climb a vine ladder up an 800-metre cliff on their way to school. The ladders have since been replaced with steel ones, but a Chinese state-owned investment company and a private tourist agency are paying for a cable car...