More than 1,100 officials in the energy, natural resources and environmental sectors were convicted of dereliction of duty last year for their involvement in incidents that led to the deaths of 2,231 people, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said on Friday.

A total of 2,637 incidents were investigated, it said at a press conference.

Of the 3,060 officials probed, 1,143 were convicted. The incidents led to losses of 2.3 billion yuan ($338 million).

In almost half of the cases, at least one person died or three were seriously injured.

Prosecutors must continue to monitor the energy, natural resources and environmental sectors, and crack down on anyone who causes serious damage to the ecology, Procurator-general Cao Jianming said.

The consequences of such crime last year were "appalling", he said.

Thirty-four officials are currently under investigation for their involvement in the fatal mine accident that killed 277 and seriously injured 33 in Xiangfen, Shanxi province, in September.

Twenty-six have been charged with dereliction of duty, five with abuse of power and three for other violations.

Chen Lianfu, director-general of the SPP's anti-dereliction of duty department, said: "The direct cause of the deaths was the collapse of an iron ore reservoir at an illegal coal mine, but the indirect cause was the negligence of the local government."

The SPP launched its campaign to fight dereliction of duty in April of last year.

Its vice-procurator-general Wang Zhenchuan said: "The campaign has indicated that a small number of officials continue to ignore energy, natural resources and environmental protection regulations, and stick to blind development by sacrificing these assets."

The role of prosecutors in fighting such crimes is central to the judicial supervision network, Wang said, adding they will intensify supervision on government officials.

(China Daily February 28, 2009)