Hebei man takes officials to court over air pollution
Print Edition
The first case of a resident taking environmental officials to court seeking damages for pollution has struck a chord with the public.
Li Guixin, a resident of Shijiazhuang in north China’s Hebei Province, is seeking 10,000 yuan (US$1,636) compensation from the city’s environmental protection bureau for the negative effect pollution has had on his life.
The city’s Yuhua District People’s Court will make a decision on whether to accept the case within seven working days, the Yanzhao Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.
Cheng Gang, the bureau’s chief engineer, said the lawsuit reflected increasing environmental awareness among the public.
“No matter what the result of the lawsuit turns out to be, the city’s environmental authority will work scrupulously to fulfill its duties in combating air pollution,” Cheng told Xinhua news agency.
The lawsuit has been met with approval by members of the public, especially as most major cities have been plagued by pollution that regularly reaches danger levels.
Li said he didn’t care whether he won or not as his attempt to drag officials to court was already a triumph.
He said his case was arousing people’s awareness of ways to protect their rights and had become a way to urge authorities to improve their efforts.
Wu Yufeng, Li’s lawyer, said: “We hope officials will not put on airs, but cooperate with people to promote implementation of the law.”
Li said he decided to go to court after Shijiazhuang has imposed vehicle restrictions on heavily polluted days since December. It can cut the number of private vehicles in use by 20 percent based on license plate numbers.
“We buy cars for convenience. But now, pollution has affected our lives in every aspect,” Li said. “Our cars are up to the standard. If the environment authorities don’t think so, they should talk to Sinopec, asking them to produce qualified fuel.”
He added: “I want everyone to know that we are victims. We face health threats and we suffer economic loss, which should be paid for by governments and environment authorities.”
Li said he had bought masks, an air purifier and a treadmill so he could exercise indoors rather than go out, but he had been coughing since December.
He has also tried to persuade his family to move, but “they have been accustomed to the city and it would be hard to leave.”
Shijiazhuang had 322 polluted days, including 77 days with severe pollution and 76 days of extreme pollution, last year.
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