With the scientific viewpoint of development as guideline, the Law on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution should be implemented strictly while the policy of putting prevention first and combining prevention with treatment should be adhered to. Besides, more efforts should be devoted to supervision to improve the quality of the drinking water in order to let the people drink clean water and make great efforts to realize the harmonious coexistence between mankind and nature, pointed out Sheng Huaren, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, at the forum on carrying out the Law on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution held in May in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, according to reporter Mao Lei with the People's Daily.

On May 18-19, the inspection group of the Law on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution under the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress held the forum in Zhengzhou. The relevant responsible directors from Shanxi, the Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai and Ningxia in the Yellow River Basin as well as those from the State General Bureau of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Water Resources, State Forestry Bureau, Ministry of Land and Natural Resources and the Yellow River Water Conservancy Committee spoke at the forum.

Sheng Huaren emphasized that there has been no change for the overall trend of the worsening water quality in the Yellow River Basin with the more severe water pollution situation due to the rapid economic development of the various provinces and autonomous regions along the Yellow River, the fast expansion of urban population and the sharp increase of the total pollution charges. Unified planning, pollution management in accordance with the law, coordinative work in a more effective way, laying emphasis on the key points and comprehensive administration should be made. The following work should be carried out simultaneously, which includes all provinces and autonomous regions in the upper, middle and lower reaches as well as both banks of the Yellow River should work together, the work on the main stream and tributaries should be done simultaneously; the industrial sewage water and urban life sewage water should be brought under control simultaneously; the control of solid, gas, liquid pollution should be paid attention to simultaneously.

Sheng Huaren also called for the finalization of the funds resources for the prevention and control of water pollution. The central government, the local governments at various levels and enterprises should invest in the prevention of water pollution. The right, obligation, responsibility of all the related departments of the State Council as well as all the related departments of the various provincial governments should be defined further. They should take the interests of the whole into account to jointly prevent and control pollution under the unified leadership of the central government. Economic growth cannot be bought with environment any more during "the 11th five-year plan" period.

By People's Daily Online