Ministry names and shames northern city for pollution

BEIJING - China's environmental watchdog on Monday named and shamed Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region for poor air and water quality.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection said various violations were found in the city, including excessive emissions, inadequate pollution treatment facilities and lax supervision by local regulators.

Inspection teams had been sent to Hohhot in May and June to check on pollution prevention and control. It is one of the 30 cities targeted in a nationwide environmental inspection this year.

The problems of excessive pollution and waste are easy to see in the city, according to the inspectors.

The lack of sewage treatment facilities has led about 100,000 tons of untreated dirty water flowing out of the city each day.

The ministry ordered local environmental authorities to harshly punish the polluters and submit rectification measures to the ministry within 20 work days.

Inspection teams have also been sent to Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Beijing and Tianjin.