The People's Daily carried a letter yesterday from a few citizens of Yexian County, Henan Province, complaining about the county government's banning solar powered water heaters in their community - a residential area called Xinxin Garden.

Local officials told the newspaper's reporter that the ban was enforced out of concern that the heaters on the roofs of the buildings "will damage the overall beauty of Xinxin Garden", which, the government notice said, "has become a bright spot in the new urban district".

Honestly I must say I am appalled by the stupidity demonstrated by these officials in making such decisions and remarks. What kind of aesthetic values did they use in ruling against the use of environmentally friendly solar energy? Do they have any sense about respecting citizens' legal rights?

I don't believe these officials are so ignorant that they do not know that solar energy is the cleanest source of energy. And it is not difficult for them to deduce that using solar energy can save the air from being polluted and thus contribute to the beauty of the environment.

The only explanation for their way of thinking is that improved air quality is not immediately visible in the locality while the buildings' unified look is immediately seen.

This way of thinking might be understandable if it were held by an individual homeowner in the estate. But it is unacceptable for officials at the county level to think this way, since they should have more understanding of the importance of environmental protection.

Even from a conventional aesthetic point of view, the solar heating device is not at all repulsive. I do not know what the devices in Xinxin Garden look like but none of the solar heaters I have seen in the market appear awkward. And I believe anyone who enjoys a clean source of energy will regard them as beautiful.

Banning citizens from using solar heaters is an out-and-out violation of their civil rights. Who gives the Yexian government the power to deprive its citizens of their right to enjoy solar energy?

The local officials explained that "the uneven silhouette of the heaters on the roofs would harm the image of our county. Individuals' interests should be subordinated to the overall interests of the county."

It is generally right that individuals should subordinate their own interests to that of society if there is severe harm to the public interest. But the Yexian case is different. The heaters did not constitute any harm to the local environment.

Even if we take the Yexian officials' argument as correct, they would not be able to give a convincing answer to this question: What if the matter takes into consideration the relationship between local interests and national interests?

The national Law on Renewable Sources of Energy stipulates that "the State encourages organizations and individuals to install and use solar heating devices." Isn't the Yexian County's ban a violation of the national law? Shouldn't the "county's overall interests" be subordinated to the national interests?

In fact, what the Yexian officials treasured was not the county's "overall interests" but the county's "image", a euphemism for their personal concerns over political performance.

What I discussed here is not a rare case. It represents the mentality of a fairly large number, if not a majority, of local officials. Reports of similar cases abound. Officials at the county level need to acquire a better understanding of rule by law, and maybe some knowledge about aesthetics.

Email: liushinan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 01/17/2007 page10)