Another official in charge of environmental protection was dismissed from his post in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, for failing to stop river water pollution, said sources with the local government on Monday.

 

Lai Jianneng, director of the environmental protection bureau in Qingbaijiang District of the city, was accused of failing to take effective measures to stop the serious pollution of the Tuojiang River, a major tributary of China's longest Yangtze River, after being aware of the case.

 

Zheng Xinghua, deputy head of the Qingbaijiang District who in charge of environmental protection of the district, admitted his mistake in failing to stop river water pollution effectively and resigned.

 

Moreover, Zhang Shan, director of the environmental administrative station, was also dismissed from his post charged with duty dereliction in environmental supervision and administration. And Gu Tianyi, deputy director of the station, got a punishment of demotion.

 

The Tuojiang River was seriously polluted from this February to March, when a chemical factory at the upper reach of the river released tons of waste water, causing water supply for millions of people along the river stopped for a time and a direct economic loss of about 300 million yuan (US$36.1 million).

 

In May, Song Shiying, deputy director of the environmental protection bureau in Qingbaijiang District, and Zhang Ming, director of the environmental protection monitoring station, was detained accused of negligence in avoiding the serious pollution of the river and failing to timely report data related to changes of environment to the leadership respectively.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2004)