"We have to act quickly to remove them all for fear of causing water pollution, " Xu Rong, an environmental official, told state-run Global Times newspaper.

BBC: China fishes over 2,000 dead pigs from Shanghai river

Opponents warn that fracking is an environmental disaster waiting to happen, citing, among other risks, air and water pollution, the release of radiation and cancer-causing substances, and the acceleration of global climate change as methane and other greenhouse gases escape during fracking.

FORBES: Fracking: A Role for Universities