China steps us prosecution for pollution offences

A total of 4,939 suspects were charged for crimes related with environmental pollution from January to October, up by 38.5 percent year-on-year, the top procuratorate said on Thursday.

During the same period, prosecutors charged 26,765 people for destroying ecological environment resources such as forest and grassland, an increase of 14.79 percent, according to a release from the Supreme People's Procuratoreate.

Prosecuting departments also launched 1,314 public interest litigations involving environmental pollution between January and October, the release said. A total of 17.15 billion yuan ($2.47 billion) of economic loss was recovered through all the cases handled by the prosecuting authorities, according to the SPP.

"Environment protection is closely related to the country's economic development and the prosperity of future generations," the release said. "We will take a 'zero tolerance' attitude toward such crimes and severely punish the polluters."

The top procuratorate said it has deployed many actions to target crimes such as illegally cutting the forests and trees, illegally mining and occupying the farmland, as well as illegally discharging toxic and harmful pollutants into seas and rivers.

Since January, the SPP has worked with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment to supervise 46 major environment pollution cases, such as the pollution of the Dongting Lake in Hunan province this June. The SPP has also joined hands with forestry and grassland administrators to supervise 10 major criminal cases involving destroying the forest and illegally hunting wildlife animals.

In the future, the SPP said it will enhance communication with relevant authorities such as the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Natural Resource, as well as the National Forest and Grassland Administration, to timely share information and conduct action plans to tackle major pollution cases.

Prosecutors will also keep a closer eye on these administrative authorities to prevent any violation cover-up and facilitate case transferring, according to the SPP.