Ministry right to turn up the heat on local governments

Over the past couple of days, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has sent out 839 groups on fact finding missions to determine how heating is supplied in Beijing, Tianjin and 26 cities around the two municipalities.

They will check whether heating has been supplied to all residents, whether those boilers using natural gas as fuel have been supplied with gas in a timely manner, whether those households using electricity to heat their homes enjoy discounted electricity and whether the supply of coal has been guaranteed for those households which still have to burn coal for heating.

Local governments will be urged to do whatever they can to mend their ways if heating is found not to be supplied as it should.