China's State Council on Wednesday approved in
principle a plan to prevent and control pollution in the drainage area of
Northeast China's Songhua River, which flows into a river on the China-Russia
border.
The executive meeting of the State Council, chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao,
ordered the launch of a batch of projects to tackle industrial sources of
pollution and treat urban sewage.
"Priority shall go to treatment and protection of collective sources of
drinking water in large and medium-sized cities to ensure the safety of drinking
water and water quality of the China-Russia border river," said the meeting.
It sets targets for the pollution prevention and control by 2010, which
include:
Sources of drinking water in large and medium-sized cities in the area should
be treated and put under protection.
Treatment of urban sewage of major cities and major sources of industrial
pollution should be fulfilled.
Major pollution hazards should be effectively controlled and monitored.
Total volume of discharge of major pollutants should be effectively
controlled.
Water quality of seriously polluted water bodies in large and medium-sized
cities should be improved.
Monitoring of water quality and improvement of water pollution early
detection and emergency response mechanisms.
The meeting said the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the
State Council attach great importance to prevention and control of pollution in
this area and has put it on the 11th Five-Year (2006-2010) Plan for national
economic and social development.
"Doing the job well is of great significance to reinvigorating the old
industrial base of Northeast China, boosting coordinated economic and social
development and improving people's lives," the meeting said.
The Songhua River suffered grave pollution last November, caused by leakage
from an upstream chemical plant. It forced cities along the river to temporarily
suspend drawing water from the river, affecting the lives of millions of
residents and normal operation of businesses.
The meeting also approved in principle draft amendments to a set of
regulations on issuing compensations in land expropriation for large and
medium-sized water conservancy and hydroelectric projects and relocation of
residents, which adjusted the standards of compensation and subsidies.
In addition, it approved a list of new cultural relic sites to be put under
state protection.