Govt 'unclear' over Anhui deaths

Local authorities yesterday refuted fresh accusations that 12 migrant workers in Anhui province died from laboring in unhealthy quartz mills, citing lack of evidence.

"It is still early to draw the conclusion that the workers died from working in the quartz-crushing mills in Fengyang county," the county's publicity chief, surnamed Chen, told China Daily yesterday.

Local media reported two weeks ago that 12 of the 77 migrant workers, who used to work in the mills in Anhui between 2004 and last year, died after they returned home to Shuifu county in Yunnan province.