Eight?hundred thirty six?officials and managers from
state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in Shanxi
have relinquished colliery investments since the State Council's
order requiring all officials and SOE managers to do so by
September 22, Xinhua News Agency reported today.
It quoted the government of north China's?Shanxi Province,
a major coal producing region, as saying the investments were worth
over 40 million yuan (US$5 million).
Up to September 30, reports from 11 Shanxi cities said 922
officials and SOE leaders were involved in coal mine businesses,
with a total investment of over 92 million yuan (US$11
million).
Issued on August 30 against a backdrop of frequent and severe
coal mine accidents, the State Council order said officials who
refused to surrender their investments would be removed from their
posts.
It aimed to improve work safety by combating collusion between
mine owners and local officials.
Li Yizhong, director of the National Bureau of Production Safety
Supervision and Administration, said coal mines owned or part-owned
by local officials escaped inspection and became "black holes
devouring miners' lives."
China recorded around 2,700 mining fatalities in the first half
of 2005, 3 percent up on the same period last year. The 24
deadliest accidents claimed a total of 704 lives, a year-on-year
increase of 114 percent.
In the first seven months, Shanxi witnessed 90 coal mine
accidents, in which 316 lives were lost. The six most deadly
accidents occurred at illegally operated collieries, claiming 183
lives.
Investigations into these accidents found that some officials
collaborated with mine owners to shield illegal operations.
National figures are expected to be released sometime this
month.
(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2005)