Threat of detention for using cheap coal shows resolve to clean air

 
The Environmental Protection Bureau of Quyang county, North China's Hebei Province, recently announced the detention of two local residents who burned cheap dirty coal privately, raising a heated public debate over the legal basis for such punishment.

The bureau claims it is cracking down on private burning of cheap dirty coal for environmental reasons. 

The move reflects the government's dilemma of how to balance a strict ban with people's actual heating needs.

Two hours after the announcement, it was removed from the bureau's social media. An air pollution control office employee told the Beijing Youth Daily that villagers have been notified of a ban on burning low-quality coal.

Villagers are only allowed to use clean coal. Those violating the rules by using inferior coal may face a verbal warning the first time and detention if they continue.

Later on the same day, the local government again issued a statement on its official website. It clarified that "no one in our county has ever been detained for using inferior coal." 

The statement said that the the two who broke the rule were only criticized and educated verbally but not detained.

Some villagers of Quyang county told thepaper.com that some villagers are using inferior coal because they think it provides better warmth.

Construction of a gas pipeline in the village began before last year's heating season, but it has not yet been completed, the villagers said. 

Last winter, many rural primary schools in Quyang failed to heat their teaching rooms on time because of a late start in a transition from coal burning to electric heating.

Coal-burning stoves used to heat classrooms have long since been removed. Many students have been frostbitten and teachers have taken students running in the playground to keep warm, thepaper.com reported.

The temperature in Quyang in recent days dropped to minus 10 degrees Celsius. 

The villagers also confirmed that they can be detained for repeatedly burning low-quality coal.

According to an announcement by Quyang county, since the second half of this year, it has stressed in many work meetings strict punishment for the sale of low-quality coal. 

The county is prohibiting the sale and storage of inferior coal, and trying to popularize clean coal briquettes.

Quyang county is a key county targeted by the State for poverty alleviation. Under the intensive and stricter coal management, there is concern about the rising heating costs for the masses.