Local government considered illegal plant a key project
By Wang Qingchu |
April 27, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AN unlicensed metallurgical plant in a northeast China county which was supported by the local government as a key project has been operating illegally for 10 months, prompting villagers to lodge complaints about the pollution it caused.
The village in Manchu Autonomous County of Xiuyan in Liaoning Province, which is just 500 meters from the plant, was clouded with dust after production started. Nothing can be harvested from the farmland which was polluted by the dirt. Villagers complained several times to the local government but their requests were ignored, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday.
The deputy head of the county environment authority said they didn't have the right to approve the plant's production while its supervisor, Liaoning Environment Protection Bureau, had never received an application from the plant.
Metallurgical plants are not allowed to be built within a 1 kilometer radius of a residential area, according to a National Development and Reform Commission regulation.
Liaoning Xinfu Group, owner of the plant, continued production in defiance of regulations because the county government listed it as a key project and turned a blind eye to its illegal operation.
The plant was ordered to suspend production, fined 100,000 yuan (US$15,321) and acquire approvals by the county environment authority at the beginning of last year.
But the plant continued production regardless of the ruling, said Jiang Guobin, deputy director of the county's environment protection authorities.
The county government even encouraged the group to raise its capacity to 1 million tons of stainless steel each year and highlighted the plan in its government work report.
The village in Manchu Autonomous County of Xiuyan in Liaoning Province, which is just 500 meters from the plant, was clouded with dust after production started. Nothing can be harvested from the farmland which was polluted by the dirt. Villagers complained several times to the local government but their requests were ignored, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday.
The deputy head of the county environment authority said they didn't have the right to approve the plant's production while its supervisor, Liaoning Environment Protection Bureau, had never received an application from the plant.
Metallurgical plants are not allowed to be built within a 1 kilometer radius of a residential area, according to a National Development and Reform Commission regulation.
Liaoning Xinfu Group, owner of the plant, continued production in defiance of regulations because the county government listed it as a key project and turned a blind eye to its illegal operation.
The plant was ordered to suspend production, fined 100,000 yuan (US$15,321) and acquire approvals by the county environment authority at the beginning of last year.
But the plant continued production regardless of the ruling, said Jiang Guobin, deputy director of the county's environment protection authorities.
The county government even encouraged the group to raise its capacity to 1 million tons of stainless steel each year and highlighted the plan in its government work report.
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