China’s big plan is to reduce air pollution by 40 percent by the year 2020, and the government has allocated $3 trillion for environmental protection, so it is very serious about the drastic steps it has already been taken, and the plans in place for this year.
In a 2014 report from the World Health Organization, 13 of the world’s 20 dirtiest (polluted) cities were in India, while Beijing issued its first “red alerts” in December 2015. Soon after, the government began shutting down over 2,500 small businesses and factories, leaving communities like Chaomidian, on the outskirts of Beijing, ghost towns.
The community of Chaomidian, home to 2,000 people, had a coal-fired brickworks factory, employing about 200 workers. It was one of the very first businesses shut down in late 2014 as the government put into action its plan to reduce pollution.
“Lives have been destroyed,” laments factory manager
Times Live reports that Beijing doesn’t issue a comprehensive list of all businesses it has closed based on pollution issues, but as far as the brickworks go, the manager is the only person left to oversee the ghost factory, and she says she is still waiting for almost $500,000 in compensation.
Han Feng-ge said, “I’m 53 years old, I grew up in this village. Right now, I don’t have the ability to re-start such a big investment from scratch, so all I can do is wait.” Beijing had promised compensation to owners who had their businesses closed on pollution grounds.
An official at the Beijing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology was asked why Han had not received compensation for her business being closed. The official said, “There could have been a problem at a certain link in the process. It’s possible the firm didn’t meet requirements in a certain area.”
Han told ABC.net.au that “Our personal loss is around $4 million and families have lost their income. Lives have been destroyed.” Thinking of her predicament made her cry. “If the Government doesn’t keep their word, if I don’t get the compensation money, I will totally go down,” she said. “I can’t rebuild.”
Fireworks are muted in Beijing this year
Fireworks have always been an integral part of any New Year celebration, and in Beijing, manufacturers have been working to create more environmentally friendly products for the Spring Festival. Trying to put life back into a slumping market brought on by government restrictions on fireworks has not been too promising, though, reports CNTV.
Because fireworks have been blamed for the worsening pollution problems, many cities in China have restricted or outright banned their use. The scope of sales has also been scaled down. Fireworks sales are allowed for 10 days, two days less than was usual, and there are only 719 fireworks retail outlets in Beijing, 20 percent less than last year.
“This year’s stock volume is about 180,000 cases, the lowest in recent years. Instead of promoting sales of big products that are worth thousands of yuan, we have decided to prioritize small and medium-sized products that are a lot cheaper,” said Tao Liang, manager of Panda fireworks.
It will be interesting to see what businesses are moved or closed in 2016, as China prioritizes reducing pollution over jobs and economic growth. Closed businesses means higher unemployment and migrations back to provinces away from the cities, and China is already experiencing this.
