Chinese Lawmakers Mull Amendment to Curb Indiscriminate Logging
10/29/97
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Headline: Chinese Lawmakers Mull Amendment to Curb Indiscriminate Logging
Source: Agence France-Presse
Date: 10/29/97
Copyright 1997 by Agence France-Presse
BEIJING, Oct 29 (AFP) - China's top legislators Wednesday began
examining draft amendments to the forestry law aimed at curbing
unauthorised logging of state forests, the official Xinhua news
agency said.
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, or
parliament, is considering tightening provisions of the 12-year old
law to ban any local government from authorising logging in
state-owned forests.
Existing legislation authorises governments above the county
level to issue such approvals but stronmger controls are needed
because of indiscriminate logging in recent years, the report said.
Proposed amendments also call for compensation for people who
plant and maintain "shelter forests" which prevent erosion and
conserve water.
China plans to set up a specialised police force to enforce the
forestry law, protect forest resources and prevent forest fires,
Xinhua said.