Major central government departments have taken prompt action to
help ease economic and transport woes caused by unprecedented
snowstorms in central and eastern China.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) is trying
to keep food prices in snow-hit areas under control.
One of the steps it has taken to realize that is exempting
trucks carrying agricultural products from paying road tolls from
Jan 26. Also, it will offer subsidies to basic food sellers and
ensure there is enough reserve in the market to keep prices
down.
The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) is trying to regulate the market
and maintain proper supply of goods in storm-hit regions, a
ministry announcement said.
The MOC is asking commerce departments at various government
levels to inspect the reserve of staple products such as pork, and
ensure that they can be transported to the right places when the
need arises.
"In case there's a shortage of certain product, the ministry
should use the local reserve first. Only after that, it can seek
from the central reserve," the MOC says on its website.
The ministry will choose some large-scale manufacturers and
retailers to build a stable supply network and efficient
distribution channel. With its already in-use database for
emergency products, the MOC will try to coordinate with
enterprises, and increase the reserve of essentials for immediate
use.
Also, it will cooperate with the railways and other transport
departments to ensure that basic necessities such as meat, poultry
and vegetables are transported properly and timely.
And it will regulate the market further before Spring Festival
to ensure that speculators don't raise the prices very high.
The health authorities has pressed 13,910 medical workers in
service by Jan 29 to provide vital healthcare assistance to people
in areas hit hard by heavy rain and snow.
The medics have helped about 54,036 people in Anhui, Jiangxi,
Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou provinces, Chongqing municipality,
and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) issued an emergency circular
yesterday, urging officials in the disaster-hit areas to further
strengthen the supervision on sanitation to ensure food and water
safety.
"The MOH will be in close contact with local health authorities
over healthcare assistance and the response to a possible health
crisis to ensure timely and proper medical help for people in
need," the circular says.
It calls for more professional help to treat patients shocked or
traumatized by the unprecedented turn in the weather. To date more
than 3 million pamphlets on mental health and sanitation have been
distributed among the people.
(China Daily January 31, 2008)