Ministry to monitor pollution

The Ministry of Environmental Protection will keep a close watch for the possible return of energy-intensive and heavy-polluting firms during the stimulus drive, as the environment improved a lot last year, its minister said yesterday.

Zhou Shengxian, minister of environmental protection said at a national conference on environmental protection that the ministry will keep a close check for such projects.

The government announced a 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus package in November, and is considering more measures to boost the economy amid the financial crisis.