Radio Free Asia carried an article which reported that over one hundred villagers from the village of Jin Guiba in Sichuan Province went to the nearby municipal office in Langzhong City to demand that the city solve the water and environmental problems that a landfill waste management site located close to the village had caused. The pictures and the video taken at the scene showed that villagers held banners during the protest. The police used batons to beat the protesters. Some of the protesters claimed that the police used pepper spray and a number of villagers were injured.
RFA: Hebei Officials Blamed for Giving out Flood Relief Heroes Awards
Radio Free Asia published an article which reported that the municipal government of Hebei Province recently issued awards to the “2016 Most Beautiful Hebei People during Flood Relief.” Eleven people received an award for their "brave actions." According to the article, a number of village Party officials were included. After the news was published, the authorities from Hebei Province were strongly condemned for issuing the award while neglecting the real cause of the flood and those who died in the flood. The article quoted comments from one rights activist who said that the government officials are cold blooded. They discharged the flood waters at 1 a.m. in the morning without notifying the people and that is what resulted in so many deaths. Some people wrote that they should reflect on what happened and properly settle with those who suffered losses before issuing any awards. One villager told RFA that she still has not found her relative who disappeared during the flood. She said people have been trying to find their relatives themselves without any help from the village officials.
Source: Radio Free Asia, July 29, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/yf1-07292016101453.html
Xinhua: Central Administration Revised Policy to Manage Science Funding
Xinhua reported that the Central Office of the Party and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued an opinion on policies to further improve the ability to manage the funding for scientific projects. The article stated that the new policies were introduced in order to provide incentives to the research associates to improve their creativity and to give extended administrative power over funding management. The policies include simplifying budgetary categories, increasing funding for rewards and recognition, allowing the carry-over of the unused funding to the following year, lowering travel or conference approval requirements, and providing accounting assistants with funding management. Meanwhile the article also stressed the importance of fraud prevention to ensure proper, safe, and effective use of funding.
Source: Xinhua, July 31, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2016-07/31/c_1119311330.htm
Xingtai Government Denied the Fact that They Released Reservoir Flood Water
RFA: Without Warning, 18 Reservoirs Released Flood Water after Midnight; Many Died in Their Sleep
According to Radio Free Asia, on July 22, 2016, Hebei Province officials in Shijiazhuang, Handan, Xingtai, Baoding opened the gates of 18 reservoirs to release flood water without any warning. Netizens said on the Internet: Flooding in Xingtai is a man-made disaster. The Xingtai government opened the reservoir gates to release water at 2:00 am without any warning. Many villagers, at least over 50 people at that time, drowned in their sleep. Many children drowned. The Xingtai government did not provide any aid, and no electricity was available. The government has also censored flood related information.