Along the Songhua River in Harbin 46 companies have been exposed
for causing serious pollution as part of a campaign by local
authorities to clean up the waterway, the Harbin Daily
reported on July 7.
The companies are the first group of polluters to be exposed and
have been ordered to clean up their acts immediately, according to
Harbin Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.
By the end of June the environmental protection bureau had
organized related departments to conduct investigations into four
pollution incidents involving drinking water sources in Zhushuntun,
Sifangtai, Mopanshan and Xiquanyan.
The Songhua River is listed by the State Environmental
Protection Administration (SEPA) as one of the most heavily
polluted rivers in the country.
It gained notoriety after a blast at a chemical plant in
November last year led to water supplies in Harbin, capital of
northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, being cut off for four
days.
According to Meng Fanfeng, director of the bureau's information
office, this move to expose polluters is just the start. "The 46
companies are the first batch as more companies still need to be
inspected," he said.
"By exposing these companies in the media we hope it will raise
people's awareness of river protection and we invite the public to
keep an eye on these companies," Meng added. "The move shows our
determination to stamp out heavy polluting industrial sources along
the river which could jeopardize water safety."
"Anyone who contaminates the river will be punished," Meng
added. "If they do make changes for the better and meet the
standard in a timely way they'll be removed from the 'blacklist.'
If not severe punishments will follow," he said.
Li Xinglong, senior engineer from the Heilongjiang Provincial
Environmental Science Institute, who has observed water conditions
in the river for years, welcomed the move.
"These industrial sources are definitely the main contributors
of pollutants and are responsible for the deterioration of water
conditions," he said.
Li is also glad the campaign has gained state-level attention
and support.
"For years we have been craving a substantial or fundamental
change in the approach of dealing with water pollution and I hope
this time it's for real," he said.
(China Daily, Harbin Daily, July 10, 2006)