Restructuring of govt depts involves more than adding, subtracting powers

CHINA PLANS to replace its Ministry of Environmental Protection with a new Ministry of Ecological Environment, according to a government restructuring plan approved by the top legislature on Saturday. Southern Metropolis Daily comments:

The new ministry will consolidate the administrative powers related to ecological and environmental protection that are currently dispersed among a handful of ministerial-level departments.

For example, at least four ministries, those of land resources, water resources, environmental protection, and agriculture, have overlapping responsibilities for water pollution treatment and prevention. It has been common for them to pass the buck from one to another when water pollution is exposed by the media or local residents.