The Director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) Xie Zhenhua urged stricter control of radioactive sources. He said that this is in line with the "three represents" idea and shows responsibility for the people. It will guarantee that the people will live in a secure environment, he said.

He spoke at a conference on the joint investigation into the safety of radioactive sources in Inner Mongolia by the SEPA, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Public Security.

Xie said that the joint investigation will first of all try to have a clear picture of the status of the matter. The NPC is deliberating the law on the prevention of radioactive pollution and the control will be more explicitly defined and legally based. The control will have to conform to the new situation and the management means and system will have to improve. Xie said that full attention must be paid to the construction and control of radioactive waste storages.

The control involves the production, import, marketing, use, storage and disposal of radioactive sources. All the departments involved are asked to keep to their responsibility and coordinate their efforts in taking practical steps. The investigation covers radioactive source production and marketing units, particularly the radioactive source user trades and units where radioactive sources are fairly concentrated and yet lay idle.

(www.cenews.com.cn October 28, 2002)