Beijing, May 29 (Report) — Recently, some media reported that the water quality of the Chuhe River had become polluted, with large numbers of fish and shrimp dying, arousing widespread concern.

　　During the media investigation, not only were reporters met with a local "triple denial," but when a reporter pressed on whether a toxicity analysis of the water quality had been conducted, the director of the Quanjiao County Ecological Environment Branch of Chuzhou City said: "Drinking Moutai can also kill you—do you need to conduct a toxicity analysis on Moutai?"

  Screenshot of a CCTV News report

　　A member of the Party Leadership Group of the Quanjiao County Water Resources Bureau said: "To tell you the truth, I'm retiring in two months. I shouldn't be asking too much about these things either."

  Screenshot of a CCTV News report

　　These remarks immediately sparked heated discussion online.

　　According to a report by Anhui Daily, on the afternoon of May 28, Han Jun, Secretary of the Anhui Provincial Party Committee, chaired a special meeting of the Provincial Party Committee to hear reports on the investigation and handling of the Chuhe River water pollution incident and to deploy pollution control and accountability work.

　　The report said the Provincial Party Committee attached great importance to the matter and instructed the provincial government and the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision to form a joint investigation team to thoroughly investigate the Chuhe River water pollution incident.

　　The meeting heard reports on the preliminary investigation by the provincial government, the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, and the Chuzhou Municipal Party Committee. Preliminary findings showed that on May 7, a fire broke out in the raw materials warehouse of Quanjiao County Fuxin Petroleum Additives Co., Ltd., causing a mixture of glycerin, molasses, and hazardous chemicals including crude methanol to enter nearby ditches and pipe networks via surface runoff. Through measures such as building dams to intercept pollutants and pumping and drainage, Quanjiao County collected and stored part of the leaked pollutants for centralized treatment.

　　On May 11, about 50 millimeters of rain fell in Quanjiao County, causing sewage that had not yet been cleaned up and remained in the ditches and pipe networks to enter the Xianghe River through Huayuan Reservoir. On May 22, Quanjiao County, without scientific demonstration and on the basis of a blind decision, and citing the need to safeguard water for urban residents' production and daily life and for agriculture along the Chuhe River, arranged for the Simashan Management Office to draw water from the Yangtze River and opened the Xianghekou sluice gate to release water, causing some sections of the Chuhe River to become turbid and black and malodorous, with dissolved oxygen dropping and large numbers of fish and shrimp dying.

　　According to the Anhui Daily report, after the incident, the Anhui Provincial Party Committee and provincial government instructed Chuzhou City to promptly take disposal measures, block off the polluted water bodies concerned, closely monitor changes in water quality, and formulate and implement a water body restoration plan.

　　The meeting noted that this Chuhe River water pollution incident is a major ecological and environmental damage incident with very serious consequences and a very vile nature. The causes of this pollution incident were not complicated, but the handling process was protracted and sluggish, resulting in serious consequences.

　　"This incident could have been avoided, but some officials, harboring侥幸 [luck-taking] mentality and acting arbitrarily during the handling process, tried to cover up and muddle through when faced with problems, causing small matters to drag on into big ones and big matters to blow up. Individual officials spoke irresponsibly when interviewed by the media, causing a bad impact. This incident reflects that a small number of Party members and officials have a low political stance, lax and unrealistic work styles, and weak awareness of procedures and the rule of law."

　　According to the report, the meeting stressed the need to strengthen analysis and judgment, formulate scientific plans, and promptly and properly dispose of the contaminated soil within the premises of the company involved, the sediment in nearby ditches, and the temporarily stored sewage in downstream ponds, ensuring that treatment is completed before the main flood season arrives. Interception dams must be built in the ditches downstream of the company involved and in the relevant river channels to resolutely prevent river water from scouring residual pollutants in the channels and resolutely prevent secondary pollution.

　　In addition, the meeting stressed the need to thoroughly investigate the entire process of the incident and clarify the responsibilities of the local Party committees and governments, functional departments, and enterprises, never concealing the truth and never shirking responsibility. In accordance with the authority for managing officials and relevant regulations and procedures, officials who derelict their duties or commit misconduct must be dealt with, and those suspected of illegal or criminal acts must be held accountable in accordance with the law.

　　On May 29, Chuzhou, Anhui, issued a notice on the progress of the handling of the Chuhe River water pollution.

　　The notice said that recently, due to a fire in the raw materials warehouse of Chuzhou Fuxin Petroleum Additives Co., Ltd. in the Quanjiao Economic Development Zone, some polluted water bodies leaked, causing the deaths of some fish and shrimp in the Chuhe River and arousing widespread public concern. After the incident, provincial and municipal authorities promptly took measures to handle it, blocked off the polluted water bodies concerned, closely monitored changes in water quality, and invited experts from within and outside the province to study and formulate a restoration plan. At the same time, a joint investigation team was established and stationed in Quanjiao County to carry out a comprehensive investigation.

　　The notice mentioned that currently, the principal responsible official of the Quanjiao County Party Committee has been removed from office, and the relevant responsible persons are under investigation.