The provincial government of southwest China's Sichuan has decided to add another 50 million yuan (US$6.02 million) for stepping up efforts to harness pollution in Tuojiang River, a tributary of Yangtze River, the country's longest.

That was learned from a decision made at a recent executive meeting of the provincial government.

In accordance with the decision, 20 million yuan of the special financing will go for the construction of facilities designated to send drinkable water to doorsteps of local residents along Tuojiang River in Neijiang City.

And 10 million yuan will be spent in treating industrial pollution and the remaining sum will go for monitoring water in the mainstream of Tuojiang River, according to the decision.

Governor Zhang Zhongwei also urged governments at all levels and relevant departments to make persistent efforts in doing a success of pollution control on Tuojiang River.

"It is necessary to launch a time countdown and assign local government leaders with well-defined responsibilities, work out measures to wipe out sources of industrial pollution, pollution in rural and urban areas and to ensure the safety in drinking water of local residents," said the governor.

Tuojiang River was twice seriously polluted by wastewater discharged by the No.2 chemical fertilizer plant of Sichuan Chemicals Co. Ltd. in March, and a local paper-making factory in May.

From February to March, for instance, workers with the No.2 chemical fertilizer plant of Sichuan Chemicals Co. Ltd., a Sichuan Chemicals Group subsidiary, which is the province's largest chemical producer based in Qingbaijiang District in Chengdu, the provincial capital, did not operate sewage processing equipment because of machinery malfunction, discharging unprocessed huge amounts of waste water with high content of nitrogen and ammonia into the river.

A large number of fish was killed by the pollution which also caused days of water supply cutoff to over 1 million residents downstream.

Enterprises and responsible persons for the above-mentioned two cases of pollution have already been dealt with or punished.

(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2004)