Home » Opinion » Chinese Views
Urgent cleanup needed for tainted soil
Source: Xinhua |
November 5, 2012, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S rapid economic growth and the ensuing environmental loopholes have posed challenges to the safety of soil, a problem that is expected to impose lasting damage on the livelihoods of many Chinese, if not solved properly and extremely soon.
Thanks to a six-year government study that revealed vast soil pollution, the State Council, China's Cabinet, pledged at an executive meeting on Wednesday to launch a nationwide campaign on soil protection.
As agreed at the meeting, the government will step up supervision to prevent and reduce soil pollution, better monitor and control risks, and clean up polluted soil.
This marks a good beginning. In earlier reports, researchers have pointed out the problem of soil pollution, but a nationwide study like this provides a comprehensive look into the issue and offers hope that the government effort, albeit new, will help tackle the problem gradually.
The industries that generate pollutants, such as mining, are normally profitable, which emboldens those running businesses to ignore environmental threats. This is exactly where stricter government supervision is needed.
It is critical to establish a mechanism to ensure that government officials fulfill their duties, such as holding them responsible if factories under their supervision are caught violating environmental protection rules.
Remedies
Whereas official surveillance plays a decisive role in the fight against soil pollution, the overall success of the cause requires the contribution of all Chinese.
First and foremost, business owners, particularly those of mines and heavy industry plants, need to cultivate a stronger sense of environmental protection.
Stronger penalties need to be enforced. Severe environmental pollution has been listed as a crime under China's Criminal Law since 1997, but how to determine the crime and the corresponding penalties remain controversial.
In terms of supervision, the public is another important force - after all, people living near polluting plants clearly sense if there are any real threats.
More and more Chinese have realized the importance of environmental protection, and they are taking actions to defend their rights even by protests, either on the streets or on the Internet.
From single-minded pursuit of economic benefits to harmonious co-existence with nature, the Chinese nation and all citizens have a hard lesson to learn and real work to do.
Thanks to a six-year government study that revealed vast soil pollution, the State Council, China's Cabinet, pledged at an executive meeting on Wednesday to launch a nationwide campaign on soil protection.
As agreed at the meeting, the government will step up supervision to prevent and reduce soil pollution, better monitor and control risks, and clean up polluted soil.
This marks a good beginning. In earlier reports, researchers have pointed out the problem of soil pollution, but a nationwide study like this provides a comprehensive look into the issue and offers hope that the government effort, albeit new, will help tackle the problem gradually.
The industries that generate pollutants, such as mining, are normally profitable, which emboldens those running businesses to ignore environmental threats. This is exactly where stricter government supervision is needed.
It is critical to establish a mechanism to ensure that government officials fulfill their duties, such as holding them responsible if factories under their supervision are caught violating environmental protection rules.
Remedies
Whereas official surveillance plays a decisive role in the fight against soil pollution, the overall success of the cause requires the contribution of all Chinese.
First and foremost, business owners, particularly those of mines and heavy industry plants, need to cultivate a stronger sense of environmental protection.
Stronger penalties need to be enforced. Severe environmental pollution has been listed as a crime under China's Criminal Law since 1997, but how to determine the crime and the corresponding penalties remain controversial.
In terms of supervision, the public is another important force - after all, people living near polluting plants clearly sense if there are any real threats.
More and more Chinese have realized the importance of environmental protection, and they are taking actions to defend their rights even by protests, either on the streets or on the Internet.
From single-minded pursuit of economic benefits to harmonious co-existence with nature, the Chinese nation and all citizens have a hard lesson to learn and real work to do.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
