Two officials in charge of environmental protection were detained by the procuratorate department in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, for failing to stop river water pollution.

According to the procuratorate, the two suspects will be prosecuted very soon.

Song Shiying, deputy director of the environmental protection bureau in Qingbaijiang District of the city, was accused of negligence in avoiding the serious pollution of the Tuojiang River, a major tributary of China's longest Yangtze River.

Zhang Ming, director of the environmental protection monitoring station, was accused of failing to timely report data related to changes of environment to the leadership for scientific decision making, which also led to deterioration of the Tuojiang River's water quality.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2004)