Protective umbrellas for polluting enterprises must be stripped away

Because of the large amount of industrial waste it discharges, a State-owned chemical enterprise in the Dantu district of Zhenjiang, East China's Jiangsu province, has received numerous complaints from local residents, ruthless instructions from environmental watchdogs at various levels and constant exposure from media outlets since its polluting behavior was criticized by the Jiangsu provincial environmental protection bureau seven years ago. But the company has continued to run at full speed without being even slightly disturbed by any of this. China Youth Daily commented on Thursday:

State-owned enterprises should set a good example in environmental protection. But this company in Zhenjiang has done just the opposite.

It has fully demonstrated it puts profits before the environment, and is fearless in defying the authorities' instructions and punishments, although the heaviest of these was a fine of 100,000 yuan ($15,080) by the environmental authority of Dantu district in 2016, which can hardly act as a means to force the company to change its ways.

Indeed, the source of the polluters' confidence and audacity is the willingness of the governments of Dantu district and Zhenjiang city to connive in the company's polluting because it is a prominent source of tax revenue and a significant driving force for the local economy.

This is not exclusive to this company or to Zhenjiang. But the economic interests of local governments do not take precedence over environmental protection.

The national environmental protection authorities, the judicial authorities on environmental protection and the government disciplinary and supervisory bodies should continue to build up pressure on local governments to act in the public interest and call time on polluters.

Not only the polluters but also their protective umbrellas should be held accountable and punished.