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Chinese officials jailed for roles in landslide: state media
Beijing (AFP) June 28, 2009 Twelve officials have been jailed for negligence and abuses of power that led to at least 277 people being killed in a landslide in northern China last year, state media reported Sunday. The September 8 disaster in the northern province of Shanxi occurred when an illegal mine dumping pond burst, swamping a village of 1,000 people in a torrent of mud and sludge. Investigations found the dumping pond had been built in violation of regulations and had almost no safety inspections, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Xiangfen County court. Eight land and resources officials, an environmental protection official and three township officials were Saturday handed jail sentences ranging from one to five years, the report said. Also on Saturday, Xia Zhengui, 53, former secretary of the Communist Party of China committee in nearby Linfen City, was dismissed from the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for his role in the disaster. The accident also led to the resignation of Shanxi Governor Meng Xuenong and the dismissal of Zhang Jianmin, vice governor of Shanxi, last year. Officials were suspected of "deliberately concealing" the discovery of bodies during initial rescue efforts to keep the death count down, state media previously reported, quoting the national work-safety administration. Corruption is often cited as a reason for the horrendous number of deaths in China's mining industry. The total number of mining-related deaths last year is unknown, but more than 3,200 people died in China's coal mines alone, according to official figures. However, independent monitors say those numbers are likely far lower than the true number of deaths, as officials and mine owners often seek to cover up accidents to avoid punishment. Government figures also show that almost 80 percent of the nation's 16,000 mines are illegal, according to Xinhua. Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Nearly-completed Shanghai high-rise falls over: state mediaShanghai (AFP) June 28, 2009 A nearly-completed 13-storey Shanghai apartment building toppled over, killing a worker and raising concerns in China's largest city over construction standards, state media reported Sunday. Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng ordered a full investigation into the cause of the incident, which occurred Saturday in the southwestern part of the city, the Shanghai Daily reported. "It was horrible. The ... read more |
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