Some 379 paper mills, lime plants and starch workshops in east China's Anhui Province have been shut down for emitting excessive pollution over the past five years.

According to the provincial environmental protection bureau, some 2,362 other industrial polluters in the province were fined or asked to stop production with the aim of improving environment quality and promote pollution treatment.

During the tenth Five-Year Plan period (2001-2005), the province launched a number of major drives to crack down on heavy polluters and reverse the trend of environmental degradation.

The province has sent 4,860 official teams to nearly 5,000 enterprises and firms across the province, carrying investigation into and supervision of issues on environment.

The paper mills that failed to meet the environmental standards were closed down or ordered to suspend production. Personnel responsible for the pollution were given administrative punishment.

The State Environmental Protection Administration issued a statement last June, urging local governments to continue fight against polluters and close down those severely polluted rivers and damaged the surrounding environment.

(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2006)