Shaanxi punishes 95 officials over air pollution

XI'AN - A total of 95 government officials in northwest China's Shaanxi Province have been punished for dereliction of duty in fighting air pollution, the provincial environmental authorities said Friday.

The punished, in 10 counties and districts, were from departments including development and reform, industry and information technology, transport, environmental protection, agriculture, urban management, police, land and resources, the provincial ecology and environment department said.

Shaanxi has been haunted by smog for years, with several cities listed as the most polluted in China. The provincial government launched an inspection targeting all departments with regard to air pollution control.

The inspection team found 32 problems concerning coal consumption cuts, dust control and governance efficiency, which have all been addressed.