The story appears on

Page A4

January 13, 2017

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

Home » Metro » Environment

2,000 officials tasked with saving Jinshan’s dying, polluted waters

MORE than 2,000 Jinshan District officials have been named “river chiefs” — given personal responsibility for 98 rivers in the area as part of a national plan to clean and protect waterways and improve water quality.

Jinshan’s small- and medium-scale rivers have been listed as major targets in the district’s water environment cleaning project this year.

District deputy chief Wang Yiyang said those chosen as chiefs of the rivers to be cleaned ranged from district-level officials to neighborhood public servants.

And those neglecting their duties for the campaign would be questioned by the district government’s watchdog, he said.

The general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council issued a document last month decreeing local government leaders would personally take responsibility for managing and protecting designated waterways.

Research by the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau found there are 631 kilometers of smelly and polluted rivers in Shanghai, mainly in suburban districts such as Jinshan.

Tailored cleaning plans have been made for small and medium rivers, and the bureau has set a goal of clearing pollution from all rivers and lakes by the end of the year.

Under the city government’s plan, all rivers and lakes in Shanghai will have chiefs by the end of the year responsible for preserving water quality.

And by 2020, no dried up watercourses will exist and the water quality of 78 percent major rivers and lakes should meet national standards.

Several industrial plants are based in Jinshan District and looking after water resources requires close cooperation between different government departments.

Other districts will also appoint officials to lead water cleaning and protection projects under the direction of the city government.

“When naming chiefs for each river, we take into consideration the official’s current duties and personal backgrounds and qualities which can help in the river cleaning project,” said Zhao Yun, director of Jinshan District Water Affairs Bureau.

District Transport Committee Director Zhang Youwei has been named river chief in Caojing Town’s Donghai Village, according to a project update issued on Wednesday.

Private boats and illegal construction along the banks have been a problem around the flood control channels of the local river, which is close to the East China Sea.

After inspections, Zhang ordered the district water conservancy institute to cooperate with the navigation department to resolve the problems.




 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend