A work group of the State Council, China's cabinet, will leave Beijing on Friday afternoon for Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, to investigate the major water pollution in Songhua River, which has led to a four-day water supply suspension in the city.

Members of the group come from eight departments of the central authorities, namely National Bureau of Production Safety Supervision and Administration, State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Supervision, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission and All-China Federation of Trade Unions.

At a press conference held here on Thursday, a senior SEPA official said a chemical plant of the Jilin Petrochemical Company under China National Petroleum Corp. should be held responsible for the pollution of the Songhua River.

The chemical plant experienced an explosion on Nov. 13.

(Xinhua News Agency November 25, 2005)