Director of the Chinese Environmental Protection Agency, Xie Zhenhua, Resigns Amid Water Contamination Crisis
Xie Zhenhua stepped down yesterday, taking responsibility for the toxic river water incident that has left millions without access to clean water and has strained Sino-Russian relations. He is the first official to lose his position due to this environmental disaster.
Several tons of carcinogenic benzene have been released into the Songhua River in northeastern China, severely affecting millions of residents. The contaminated section of the river is flowing toward Russia and is expected to reach the country by December 10.
Previously, Xie’s deputy, Wang Yuqing, commented that local officials missed the opportunity to prevent the spread of the contaminated water in China. The explosion at a chemical plant in Jilin occurred on November 13, but Beijing was not informed until November 17. He also noted that local leaders “implicitly approved the dumping of pollutants into the river in pursuit of economic development.”
More than two weeks after the disaster, pollution levels in the Songhua River remain 21 times above the permissible limit, according to Minister of Labor Safety, Li Yizhong. “Cities along the Songhua River need to remain vigilant,” he remarked.
The Songhua River flows into the Heilong River, known as the Amur River in Russia. Khabarovsk, the largest city along the Amur, plans to cut off water supply for about two days if the pollution levels are deemed hazardous.
