Chinese local government officials accused of failing to clear rubbish
Office in charge of the urban enforcement officials in Nanjing admitted they managed tip poorly, news website reports
Urban enforcement officials in a city in southeast China have been accused of failing to clear away rubbish at a tip, Chinese media reported.
The rubbish was dumped at an empty site in Zhonghuamen in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, and could be spotted from elevated roads and light trains passing the area, the news website Thepaper.cn reported.
Among the garbage in the area included old chairs, sofas, mattresses and other furniture collected from nearby areas by the officials, who are known as chengguan in China.
They enforce local by-laws such as street trading and have a reputation for heavy-handed treatment of suspected offenders.
The area used as a dump was once densely populated with old houses, but these have been demolished over the past few years, the report said.
Residents who spotted the unsightly mess in the area complained to the authorities.
The Zhonghuamen Street Affairs Office said rubbish could be dumped at the site, but admitted it had neglected its duty by not ensuring that its urban management officials dispose of the garbage in an orderly manner and remove it from public sight.
The affected area is near a heritage park and the famous Ming dynasty (1368-1644) city walls.
The authorities promised to remove all the rubbish within two days and find another place to put it, the report said.