Social Affairs

An increase in pollution charges will force more than a thousand chemical plants on the shores of east China's Taihu lake to close, six months after an outbreak of algae bloom cut off water supplies to a nearby city. In late May and early June, China's third biggest lake was covered in a thick foul-smelling canopy of green algae that left tap water undrinkable for more than 2.3 million residents of Wuxi city. From next year, plants around the lake will have to pay 10.5 yuan (US$1.4) for the discharge of each kilogram of chemical oxygen demand (COD), a measure for pollution.

Several weeks after officials warned of a potential "ecological catastrophe" caused by landslides and pollution at the Three Gorges site. Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said China must "double its efforts" to protect the ecology and geological safety of China's controversial Three Gorges Dam project. Work "shall never be lax" on afforestation, soil and water conservation projects, as well as sewage and waste disposal. He also added that emergency shelters must be built for local residents to evacuate to in order to escape geological disasters.