China's top work safety watchdog Tuesday appealed for tougher penalties for mine operators responsibile for deadly coal mine accidents.

Li Yizhong, the newly named director of the General Administration of Work Safety (GAWS), said operators of five coal mines hit in the past two months by deadly gas explosions illegally resumed coal mining despite government orders to suspend production. The explosions caused between 18 and 72 deaths.

"The breaches indicate the failure of supervision and lax enforcement," he told a press conference hosted by the State Council Information Office.

He said The Government of Shanxi Province, one of the country's major coal producers, has determined to take tough measures to punish those held responsible for fatal coal mine accidents, including public servants on charge of negligence and corruption.

Some local officials have complained to him that the Chinese Criminal Law is too lenient to culprits of major fatal work accidents as the liabilities are up to seven years, he said. China's law on work safety stipulates that an opertor of a company is subject to a fine of only up to 200,000 yuan (24,390 US dollars).

"The laws should be revised to make the penalties harsher to deter law-breakers," he said.

Hundreds of small coal mines were ordered to close down or suspend operations in the past two years for failing to meet official safety work standards.

Many, though, have resumed operations without government approval for rising profits.

China will also suspend the operation of mines working over-capacity or mines without gas pumping systems.

In the first quarter of this year, there were 206,970 accidents causing casualties in China, resulting in 30,597 deaths, according to a news release by the GAWS Tuesday.

The number of accidents and total deaths declined by 12.9 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively, compared with the same quarter last year, according to the release.