By Peng Junjun and Huang Kai
On 15 July, Implementation Plan on implementation of management regulations on ecological environment damage compensation published by 17 departments (organizations) including Nantong Bureau of Ecology and Environment, Nantong Intermediate People’s Court, and Nantong People’s Procuratorate was implemented officially. It marked that Nantong promoted new way of diversified ecological damage compensation first in China.
‘The most striking feature of ‘Nantong plan’ is that it enriched the responsibility undertaking ways of ecological environment damage compensation, not just simple punishment, it encourages various places to discover building of ecological restoration base, increase alternative restoration methods including breeding and release, tree plantation and cultivation, alteration and improvement of standards of environmental protection facilities, and clean production.’ Zhang Jun, vice director of Nantong Bureau of Ecology and Environment said that after the plan was implemented, Nantong’s ecological environmental damage compensation would be more diversified, the effect would be easier to be felt by citizens.
Integrating with actual situations of various places, several places of Nantong have started attempts on diversified ecological damage compensation. Haimen organized the first collective labour service compensation activity in China. 27 people of first batch of 18 enterprises reduced ecological environment damage compensation fee by labour service compensation method in ecological public welfare forest. Hai’an released 600 thousand fish fries near Qingdun relics, to restore the ecology of water area after environmental pollution accidents, and maintain the biological balance of the water system. Chongchuan used ecological damage compensation in ecological environment restoration demonstration base in the mouth of Tonglv Canal connecting the Yangtze River...
Diversified ecological damage compensation, turned polluters to guardians. Zhu Jianxin, person in charge of a plastic spray enterprise which participated in labour service compensation, said with deep feelings, ‘in the past environmental pollution was treated by just punishment, and we had resentment in our hearts. Now we participate in ecological restoration ourselves, we feel the beauty of ecological achievements ourselves, and concept of ecological and environment protection is naturally in our mind.’
