Companies that continue to ignore government standards and pollute the environment will face stiffer penalties, warned Vice Minister Wang Jirong of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) at a Thursday press conference in Beijing.

"Those responsible for illegal pollutant discharge will be held accountable more seriously," said Wang.

The tough talk from the central government comes as public complaints about pollution soar.

Last year's crackdown led to the closure of more than 6,400 companies across the country and the imposition of penalties against 155 individuals. Senior personnel were fined and civil servants warned, demoted or sacked.

This year, local government officials who accept bribes to protect polluters will be targeted, Wang said.

An army of inspectors has been ordered to get tough with offenders in the latest campaign, a joint effort by six ministries, including SEPA, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Supervision.

Similar campaigns have been launched annually over the past several years but thousands of companies continue to flout the law. Flaws in the regulations and laws contribute to the problems that the authorities face.

Lu Xinyuan, head of SEPA's environment supervision and inspection bureau, said, "There are no specific rules on how to deal with companies that are repeatedly found to discharge pollutants illegally. That makes it difficult for environmental authorities to enforce the laws and regulations," he added.

The administration will submit proposals for improvements to the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

Zhai Qing, an official with the NDRC, said at Thursday's press conference that outdated technologies used in industry will continue to be phased out.

"A modern economy will be promoted in the country so that resources can be used most efficiently," he stated.

Complaints from the public about environmental problems have been rising by 20 percent annually. In 2003, the number of telephone complaints reached 330,000.

(China Daily March 4, 2005)