Policy Digest

Notice aims to ensure drinking water safety

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has issued a notice asking for officials to increase monitoring to ensure the safety of drinking water during the flood season.

Efforts should be strengthened to detect risks and hidden dangers, the notice said.

There should be a full examination of sources of pollution that threaten drinking water source protection zones and other key areas, it said, calling for heightened supervision on the pharmaceutical, chemical, tannery, electroplating and smelting industries that may have an impact on the safety of drinking water.

In addition, authorities should closely monitor the water quality of drinking water sources, it said.

Efforts urged to curb sales of tainted food

Local market regulation authorities should strengthen efforts to prevent tainted food from being sold or donated, the General Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation said in a notice issued in the wake of the floods that hit northern China.

Companies must not sell food that has been immersed in flood water or whose packaging has been broken, the office said, adding that the authorities must urge such companies to take effective measures to prevent their products from being tainted and avoid selling substandard goods.

The authorities must enhance random inspections on food being distributed, donated or sold to people in flood-hit areas and on food made by companies located in the areas, it said.

Any substandard food products that are found should be disposed of, the office said, calling for the authorities to strictly punish companies that make or sell tainted, expired or spoiled food.

The authorities should urge food companies to fully inspect their workplaces, equipment, raw materials, and food processing and storage facilities to prevent spoilage, according to the office.

The office also asked the authorities to issue food safety reminders to enhance public awareness in flood-hit areas so that people will avoid drinking unclean water, purchasing food from unknown sources and eating food that is not well cooked.

Ministries allocate funding for flood relief

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management on Friday allocated an additional 1.46 billion yuan ($200 million) to five provinces and municipalities in northern China to help them recover from floods.

The money has been distributed to help Beijing, Tianjin and the provinces of Hebei, Heilongjiang and Jilin ensure the well-being of their residents and rebuild homes destroyed by floods, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Since the beginning of the flood season, the central government has allocated more than 5 billion yuan of disaster-relief funds to the five provinces and municipalities.

These areas should distribute the funds in a timely manner, strengthen their monitoring of the funds' usage and use the money wisely, the Ministry of Finance required.