Photo: Screenshot from a video by Dali Daily

The local government in Dali, Southwest China's Yunnan Province has decided to demolish 55 illegally built villas which are close to the famous Erhai Lake, according to an official announcement released Monday.

Corrective measures to eliminate the impact caused by the buildings cannot be taken as the illegal behavior in the case is too serious, it said.

Covering an area of 15.69 acres, the villas are part of the second phase of a tourism project by Canghai International Golf Resort Co.

They were built by the golf course in the company's golf-themed resort, which is located at the foot of Cangshan Mountain. It is close to the three pagodas of the ancient Chongsheng Temple, and is only two kilometers away from the ancient town of Dali.

The company started building the villas in August 2004 without going through the administrative approval procedures for land use, project approval, planning and construction, which "constituted an illegal act," according to the announcement.

The buildings were confiscated by Dali's tourism authority in December 2019, according to an official notice. The demolition actually started in June and the authorities announced the land would be replanted.

However, the demolition has sparked heated discussion on Sina Weibo, with many questioning why local authorities turned a deaf ear to the project during its construction, and saying the demolition is another waste of resources.

"They were not aware when such a big project started? Who will pay the bill for the demolition?" a Weibo user asked.

Some lauded the decision and appealed for a severe punishment for the developers, in order to protect the natural environment.

"They should pay compensation," another netizen commented.

Cangshan Mountain boasts rich natural resources and geological heritage, and a world-level geopark is located nearby. The region came under the spotlight as a large-scale golf-themed project was begun in 2005, and many said the developers were seeking profit at the cost of natural resources.

Hong Kong Xing Jie International Investment Group, one of the stakeholders in Canghai International Golf Resort Co, constructed its first 18-hole golf course in the area in November 2005. The Canghai resort company started to build villas around the course in 2006, according to media reports.

The whole project covers an area of over 4,000 mu (266.7 hectares) and has investment of 500 million yuan ($73.36 million), China Environment News reported. Some celebrities have reportedly bought villas in the project.