1st Ld: Polluters to pay price "too high to bear": Premier Li

Polluters will pay a price "too high to bear" for their illegal acts, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang warned Sunday.

All businesses involved in illegal production and emission, no matter what kind of business they are, will be brought to justice and held accountable, Li told a press conference after the annual national legislative session concluded.

He made the remarks in response to a question on whether two Chinese oil giants, Sinopec and PetroChina, have obstructed the implementation of environment policies in the country.

"We need to make the cost for doing so too high to bear," the premier said.

This year the Chinese government will focus on fully implementing the newly-revised Environmental Protection Law, he said.

More supports will be given to environmental law enforcement departments including capacity building, he said.

"No one should use his power to meddle with law enforcement in this regard," he said.

However, the premier stressed that the law enforcement departments should also have the courage to take charge and fulfill their duty while nonfeasance will be held accountable and abuse of power and breach of duty will be punished.

The law must work as a powerful, effective tool to control pollution instead of being "as soft as cotton candy," he said. Endi