THE first case involving compensation for damage to the ecological environment in Shenzhen was voted as one of the top 10 cases of ecological damage compensation at a selection organized by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported yesterday. In April 2018, a Shenzhen enterprise illegally discharged heavy metal pollutants, causing serious damage to soil and groundwater in the ecological environment, according to the Daily. The total area of polluted soil covered 2,189 square meters after appraisal, while the amount of polluted groundwater totaled 122 cubic meters. Economic estimation of the losses caused by the environmental damage amounted to about 14 million yuan (US$1.97 million). In August 2018, the environmental watchdog in Shenzhen imposed a fine of 1 million yuan on the polluter and revoked its pollutant discharge license. In October of the same year, the People’s Court of Bao’an District sentenced each of the two persons held liable in the lawsuit to 10 months in prison and imposed a penalty of 50,000 yuan on each of them for environmental pollution. The local environmental watchdog and the enterprise officially signed an agreement on compensation for damage to ecological environment, the first of its kind in Shenzhen, on June 10, 2019. The compensation obligor promised to restore the damaged land in accordance with relevant regulations, and bear the costs related to the investigation and appraisal of the ecological environment damage in the case. The case, which is considered to possess reference value, is said to have adopted high technologies to identify the source of wastewater during enforcement. Moreover, a variety of means, whether it be administrative, criminal or civil, was utilized to ensure the implementation of a strict accountability mechanism. The case has also promoted the establishment of a screening mechanism for cases involving environmental damage compensation, the Daily reported. At present, restoration of the damaged land is under way. (Zhang Yu) | 