Amended green law given mixed review
The revised statute enhances the regulator's powers and holds local officials accountable, but limits public participation in the process
Mainland legal officials hailed China's newly amended environmental protection law as a breakthrough, saying it will compel local governments to end the blind pursuit of economic growth and hold officials accountable for neglecting the environment.
The amendment also opens a door, however slightly, for certain government-approved groups to initiate legal action against polluters on behalf of the public.
But activists cautioned that without enhanced public oversight, enforcement of the law is far from certain.
The amended statute, which goes into effect on January 1, holds local governments responsible for the quality of air, water and soil under their jurisdiction.
It also calls for penalties for officials who cover-up polluting industries, falsify environmental data, or withhold pollution- related information from the public.
"This provision makes it very clear what constitutes a violation and the relative penalties," Tong Weidong , deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, told a media briefing on Tuesday.