Rivers fail to meet required standards

IN the latest round of river quality assessments, six officials have received warnings from the city government for smelly and discolored water.

The city’s river chief office found that the dissolved oxygen and transparency indexes of Weishen River in Jinshan District and Jiantoucun River in Baoshan District failed to meet standards.

The officials, who are river chiefs in a nationwide scheme, were ordered to take immediate measures to treat the water.

The scheme appoints district directors as chiefs of the main waterways in their areas while directors of sub-districts or towns are appointed secondary chiefs responsible for smaller waterways.

Chiefs who neglect their duties can be warned or punished.

In September, the chiefs of four other rivers in the city were warned for similar problems. By last week, these rivers had been cleaned up.

Meanwhile, a team organized by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development is being sent to Shanghai to examine the quality of the city’s waterways.

During its inspection from October 22 to November 2, the team will take tip-offs and suggestions by phone.

The numbers to call are 15010297551, 15010297561, 15010875561, 18519160637 and 18519160638.

Receptionists will be available from 8:30am to 12pm and from 1pm to 6pm every day.

People can also report water pollution to the team via its WeChat account.