Local officials can sue polluters for damages

Guizhou province became on Tuesday the first of seven pilot areas to make it easier to force polluters to pay for damage they cause.

The plans allow provincial governments to sue companies that cause environmental destruction, or negotiate an out-of-court settlement, to obtain money needed to fix damage they caused. Previously, that power was reserved for the State Council, the highest executive organ of State power.

Xiong Dewei, director of the Guizhou Environmental Protection Bureau, said the plan is a major step forward in that it smooths the process and clearly stipulates the responsibilities of all parties in a dispute.