Environmental protection work in Tibet not satisfactory: inspection team

LHASA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A national inspection has found that environmental protection work in Tibet did not meet the requirements of the central government and public.

Tibet was among eight provincial-level regions under a one-month review by inspection teams dispatched by central authorities in August.

The inspection team said Wednesday that as of Oct. 31, the region had resolved 1,020 cases highlighted by the team; a total of 882 companies and departments were ordered to make improvements; and 784 cases were given punishments with total fines of 27.9 million yuan (4.3 million U.S. dollars).

The region detained two people for environmental problems and held a total of 148 people accountable.

The local government failed to follow regional environmental protection regulations strictly, giving passes to seven counties that did not meet the requirements in 2016.

Construction of 242 rural road projects were started without acquiring environmental protection approval, and the majority of scenic spots did not have sewage treatment facilities.

In addition, construction of urban sewage treatment works and pipe networks were behind schedule, affecting water treatment efficiency in many cities. Management of hazardous solid waste was also problematic.

The inspections from August to September left 6,471 officials accountable for environmental damage, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection last month.

The inspections were part of China's campaign to fight pollution and environmental damage, as decades of growth have left the country with smog, polluted water and contaminated soil. Enditem