New push on way after big failure of 10-year plan
Four eastern provinces in the heavily contaminated Huai River basin pledged to crack down on polluters and improve water quality standards in a special meeting yesterday with Beijing officials.
The commitment to environmental protection by the authorities of Jiangsu , Anhui , Shandong and Henan comes after recent media reports pointed out that a 10-year cleanup plan had failed to reduce pollution on the 1,000km-long river.
China News Service reported that the provincial governments signed a responsibility agreement in Anhui's Bengbu city yesterday stating they would implement regulatory and enforcement measures between 2006 and 2010.
Directed by the State Council and the State Environmental Protection Administration, the measures involved an immediate closure of polluting factories and establishing a permit-discharge system and a punitive pollution fee schedule. Other measures include a plan to tackle water contamination caused by livestock and provide clean drinking water.
Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan , who attended the meeting, said the measures were part of the central government's multifaceted approach to improving the livelihood of its 100 million residents by regulations and market and economic incentives.