Violation of Environmental Protection Laws Being Rectified    

Pan Yue, Deputy Director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), says that by August 17th 1162 enterprises and projects in violation of environmental protection laws and 112 "local policies" in violation of environmental protection regulations were rectified. The construction of environmental protection systems, however, still needs to be strengthened to check the expansion of sectors with high pollution and high energy consumption.
   In early July 2007 SEPA implemented the restriction of project approval in six cities, two counties and five industrial parks with serious water environment pollution located in the reaches of the Yellow River, the Huai River, the Hai River and the Anhui Section of the Yangtze River. Environmental impact evaluation approval was tentatively withheld to all construction projects except those for pollution control and cyclic economy. Thirty-eight enterprises were also ordered to make rectification while doing business. Data provided by SEPA show that of 1162 enterprises and projects in violation of environmental protection laws, 400 have already been shut down, 249 have suspended production for rectification and 102 have been ordered to make remedies within a prescribed time limit. Sewage discharge expenses of RMB725 million and penalties of RMB7.87 million have been collected.
   Local governments have adopted strong measures to enterprises in violation of environmental protection laws. According to Pan Yue, Anhui Bengpu Municipal Government has ordered 18 enterprises in violation of environmental protection laws to make rectification while doing business, two such enterprises to suspend production for rectification, six such enterprises to make remedies within a prescribed time limit, two such enterprises to shut down within a prescribed time limit and two such enterprises to relocate within a prescribed time limit. Administrative or judicial sanctions have been given to legal persons of five enterprises seriously violating laws on sewage discharge.
   Pan Yue points out that the movement is intended to urge relevant local governments to make up their minds in conducting industrial structure readjustment. For example, the sulfuric acid mist pollution caused by Yinguang Co., Ltd. is a lasting headache in Baiyin of Hansu province. With the promotion of the movement, construction on a sulfuric acid mist pollution control project with a total investment of RMB393 million started on August 10th.