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Nationwide campaign against environmental pollution

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2006-01-18 14:56

In the week of January 13-17, the issue of environmental pollution caught the headlines of many domestic media.

Pollution warnings

Jiangsu Province: More than 40 per cent of fish species in East China's Jiangsu Province were found to be contaminated with heavy metals, according to a survey released by Jiangsu Environment Monitoring Centre last week.

Cadmium, lead, mercury, chromium and zinc were the five kinds of heavy metals found in 41 per cent of species in the sample survey. It revealed seashells, shellfish, and large-sized fish are the three types of species that suffer from the most severe contamination.

Shaanxi Province: A spill at a chemical plant in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province has led to the leakage of 2,000 tons of alkaline waste into a river.

The accident at Shaanxi Jintai Chlorine and Alkaline Chemical Co Ltd occurred in Mizhi County on February 4, when three of its four processing tanks collapsed, and the chemicals contaminated the Wuding River. The plant has been shut down after the incident.

Guangdong Province: Several hundred people have died in the village in Wengyuan, a rural county in South China's Guangdong Province, in recent years. Locals believe the deaths are related to pollution in the village.

Provincial officials admit that more than 40 per cent of the province's rural people do not have access to safe drinking water. They also received 80,000 complaints about pollution last year.

Opencast mining, which began about 20 years ago, has seriously polluted the water and soil in the village. Well water is hardly drinkable, and rice and vegetables are badly contaminated with heavy metals.

Beijing Municipality: A survey conducted last year showed that 56 of the 78 rivers and lakes, particularly those in the downtown areas, reported poor water quality that did not reach the national standards.

State measures

The State Council announced a decision to further promote environmental protection on Tuesday but warned the situation "is still severe".

The government document outlines programmes for environmental protection with targets set 15 years in advance. This document contains concrete measures that will transform the light rain of the past into a storm of environmental protection that will wipe out serious polluters.

Regions that are home to heavy polluters that exceed required standards and cause serious damage will not be given the green light to start new projects that will strain nature still further. The environmental watchdog's assessment will play a greater role in the procedure, according to the document.

Provincial governors, ministers, mayors and county magistrates will be required to sign papers to shoulder due responsibility for environmental pollution. Regular assessment will be conducted and the results made public.

Local efforts

Beijing Municipality: Beijing will take more care in the treatment of polluted water this year, while continuing the task of air pollution prevention and control, a senior official said on Monday.

More measures will be imposed this year to improve the water quality, including compiling a plan for prevention and control of water pollution, publicizing regular water monitoring outcome and speeding up the construction of water treatment facilities.

The Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau will begin to charge fees on construction sites to control the pollution of flying dust on May 1.

Shanghai Municipality: The Wusong Industrial Zone, which had long been a source of pollution in Shanghai, has been cited as a showcase for recovery and improvement of the ecology and environment.

The city in East China accomplished the turn around by revamping and optimizing its industrial structure and production technologies.