Ministry to further strengthen environmental monitoring data accuracy

Current environmental monitoring data are accurate and comprehensive and three measures will be taken to further prevent data fabrication, Minister of Ecology and Environment Li Ganjie said on Monday.

Data are like pillars that support the mansion of ecology and environment management. Any minor problems should not happen to pillars, otherwise the mansion would collapse, the minister said, adding that up to now data for 1,436 national air quality monitoring stations and 1,940 national water quality monitoring stations are accurate.

According to Li, to prevent future data fabrication, three measures will be taken. The first is to increase enhance investigation and punishment. People who make fake data will even face criminal prosecution, he said.

Monitoring work should be fully handed to the third party that is independent from the local government. "Monitoring systems are connected directly with the ones in the central government so that we can know the data immediately," Li said.

In addition, there should be more confidence in local governments. Pressure of finishing environment check task will be eased based on the local situations in case they are unable to complete the check in a limited time, he said.