48 coal mineinspectors to resign

Forty-eight work safety inspectors have tendered their resignations over fears that they "cannot meet the tough rules" laid out for the coal-mining industry of Lianyuan city in Hunan province.

A member of the group told China Daily yesterday he had joined 47 other inspectors to submit a joint resignation letter to Lianyuan's coal industry administration, after they found the penalties covering public accountability of the industry "too severe".

"The safety rules are extremely strict. It's hard to be 100 percent right all the time," said Zeng, a 50-year-old head of Doulishan township's work-safety station.