Local authorities should not ignore the illegal polluting practices of State-owned enterprises only because they make economic contributions to local government, says an article in the Beijing News. Excerpts:

According to the media, the Ministry of Environmental Protection's inspector group found three of Sinopec's affiliated enterprises in Guangdong province have serious environmental illegal practices and potential environmental safety hazards.

The enterprises directly discharged substandard industrial wastewater, but local environment protection authorities ignored the illegal practice.

As a major economic driver of local economic growth, State-owned enterprises have won local government favor in recent years. Although local environment protection authorities complain that State-owned enterprises openly destroy the local environment in the name of national welfare and people's livelihood, local governments who emphasize State-owned enterprises' contributions to taxation and employment always turn a blind eye to the pollution they make.

This shows that environmental inspections lack necessary deterrents to enterprises. The low cost of environmental violations can hardly stop them from polluting the environment.

Moreover, if local authorities tolerate State-owned enterprises' illegal polluting practices, it will eventually harm local welfare and livelihoods.