Mayor's fate tied to coal mine safety

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-11 08:20

Mayors in Henan province will be suspended or removed from office in the event of large coal mine accidents in their cities, local newspaper Dahe Daily reported on Sunday.

"Mayors will be suspended or removed from office if a large accident takes place involving the deaths of more than 50 persons, or two large accidents involving the deaths of 30-49 persons a year," the newspaper quoted a government circular as saying.

"The responsible personnel might receive administrative sanctions or be charged based on further findings of the investigation," it said.

An Yuanjie, a press official with the State Administration of Work Safety, welcomed the rule.

"No such strict rules have been seen in other provinces," An said.

In some cases, officials colluded with businessmen to form groups with common interests to protect illegal companies and mine owners, even staging elaborate cover-ups.

On Saturday, a police station in Shenmu county of Shaanxi province, accepted 2.19 million yuan ($320,000) in "sponsor money" from dozens of local coal mine owners, reported Xi'an-based Huashang News.

The provincial government learned the news and asked police to return the money.

The latest tragedy claimed 35 people in an explosion at the Lijiawa mine in Yuxian, Hebei province, on July 14.

It was initially covered up for three months and finally revealed by victims' families on the Internet.