Quake survivors' lives should basically return to normal in two months in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, where reconstruction should be mostly completed by 2010, Premier Wen Jiabao said here yesterday.
Wen made the remarks during his three-day visit to the two provinces starting from Friday.
"Authorities should continue to stick to the 'people first' policy in their work and guard against epidemics," Wen said, hailing the two provinces' reconstruction efforts since the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan.
Wen also said reconstruction work in the provinces should focus on repairing and rebuilding poor farmers' houses.
The new buildings must be more economical and use less land. However, safety should be the premium concern, and schools, hospitals, and other public buildings should meet the highest safety standards, the premier said.
He also said great efforts should be made to resume economic development in quake-affected regions, and to achieve this, authorities should pay special attention to reconstructing poverty-stricken counties in the regions.
To curb the number of casualties, local authorities must prepare for aftershocks, mudflows and landslides in these areas, the premier added.
The 66-year-old premier visited quake survivors in hard-hit Lueyang county, Shaanxi province, on Friday afternoon, urging them to resume farming while rebuilding their homes.
He then visited students at a middle school, and encouraged them to work harder and devote themselves to their hometowns' development.
Wen also inspected reconstruction work in Longnan, Gansu province on Saturday.
State Councilor Ma Kai accompanied Wen during the visit.
The May 12 earthquake's death toll had reached 69,181 by noon yesterday.
Source: China Daily/Xinhua
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