But the eight identified will halt soon: watchdog Work is continuing on eight of the 30 projects ordered to halt construction last week by the mainland's top environmental watchdog, according to a senior State Environment Protection Administration official. Administration deputy director Pan Yue said the order to suspend construction - which involved 13 provinces and municipalities - had received positive responses from most local authorities and project developers. 'The vast majority of the affected enterprises have realised their mistakes in violating the Environmental Impact Assessment Law. Construction on 22 projects has been halted and [the administration] has received review reports on 20 projects,' Mr Pan said yesterday. He praised the provincial leadership in Jiangsu for ordering the immediate suspension of seven projects. The State Development and Investment Corporation and two of the mainland's top state-owned power companies - China Huadian and Datang International Power Generation - were also singled out for their support. Twenty-six of the 30 projects which the administration said had started 'illegally' were energy projects, including the huge Xiluodu hydroelectric power plant on the upper Yangtze River, known locally as the Jinsha River. Mr Pan did not specify which projects ignored the order to stop. An administration official also refused to identify the continuing projects yesterday. 'Those projects are likely to be halted as our inspection goes on,' he said. 'Some may resume construction soon after passing an urgent environmental impact assessment. 'Our administration will strengthen enforcement on environmentally sensitive projects, especially paper mills and power stations, and those projects violating green laws will be halted.' Mr Pan also said the quality of environmental impact assessments needed to be strengthened. His comment came after 68 environment institutions failed a nationwide review late last month. There are more than 1,000 environmental assessment bodies around the country.
