Legislature's role in enforcing water pollution control law stressed

BEIJING - China's top legislator on Sunday reiterated the role of people's congresses and their standing committees in implementing water pollution control law.

Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), presided over and delivered a speech at a meeting where reports on the enforcement of the water pollution control law were heard.

From late March to June, four teams of lawmakers inspected the enforcement of the water pollution control law in eight provincial-level regions across the country.

Li acknowledged the good effect the inspection has had in those regions, saying that according to the inspection, the regions with solid progress in water pollution control are those where the law had been better enforced.

"As people's congresses and their standing committees shoulder important responsibilities in water pollution prevention and control, it's necessary for them to well perform the power of enacting laws and supervising enforcement of the laws," said Li, who also stressed the importance of making great efforts to step up local legislation so that a sound law system would be in place for water pollution prevention and control, and for protection of ecology and environment.

While saying greater supervision over enforcement of related laws is imperative, Li called for further participation of delegates of people's congresses at all levels and stressed a synergy in the work between the NPC and local people's congresses, so as to improve the overall effect of the work of people's congresses in this regard.