As the deadline for the voluntary reporting of extravagant government buildings draws near, the country's disciplinary watchdog warned yesterday that any person or organization trying to conceal violations will face a penalty.

Party and government departments at all levels have until tomorrow to report official buildings that contravene the regulations issued in March by the central government that ban the construction of wasteful and extravagant buildings.

"Perfunctory performance, cheating or cover-ups in the voluntary investigation are prohibited and those involved should be dealt with seriously," Liu Xirong, deputy secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said.

Liu said that the central government would start a nationwide survey of extravagant official buildings at the end of the month after local authorities had submitted their reports.

The regulations issued by the State Council and the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China detailed banned features, including excessive size, decoration and number of facilities.

Local party and government departments are also banned from commissioning extravagant buildings with bank loans, collection of unwarranted revenues, donations and misappropriation of government poverty-alleviation and disaster-relief funds.

Ministerial level buildings should not cost more than 4,000 yuan ($525) per square meter, municipal level buildings 3,000 yuan and county level buildings 2,500 yuan.

Liu said the construction of lavish official buildings, including departmental hotels and entertainment centers, had been rampant in recent years, triggering public discontent.

"Such violations waste huge sums of public funds, increase the financial burden on the public, denigrate Party and government ethical codes and corrupt social values," he said.

Liu said all government buildings constructed after January 1, 2005, and those under development were targeted, and Party committees, governments, legislative and political advisory bodies at all levels were under scrutiny.

At the start of this month, the CPC disciplinary watchdog announced penalties for more than 20 local officials for ordering the construction of extravagant official buildings.

Xinhua

(China Daily 06/19/2007 page3)