The Sideshow
Chinese man becomes first person to sue government over dangerous air pollution
Li Guixin submitted a complaint to a district court in the Hebei province’s Shijiazhuang Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau to "perform its duty to control air pollution according to the law,” according to state run Chinese language publication the Yanzhao Metropolis Daily.
On Tuesday , pollution levels in Beijing topped hazardous levels for the sixth straight day , according to theU.S. Embassy pollution monitor. The most recent ratings were literally at “beyond index” meaning they exceeded the already most extreme measurement levels of air pollution.
The World Health Organization’s China representative told a briefing in Beijing on Monday that both the government and industries in China need to make a better effort to curb pollution levels across the country.
“We have to put more pressure on all of the authorities and all the industry production to improve so we can actually reduce the very heavy pollution,” Bernhard Schwartlander said.
The court has not yet decided whether to take up Li’s complaint but he is still the first known individual in China who has attempted to sue the government over its failure to curb dramatically increasing levels of pollution.
Chinese law reportedly makes it difficult for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to sue the government or industries over pollution levels . The BBC said higher courts in the country have already rejected Li’s complaint but that the district court is currently deliberating whether or not to take up his case.
In addition, Li is asking for compensation for residents who are affected by the pollution.
"The reason that I'm proposing administrative compensation is to let every citizen see that amid this haze, we're the real victims," Li told the paper. "Besides the threat to our health, we've also suffered economic losses, and these losses should be borne by the government and the environmental departments.”
In his complaint, Li said he has spent money on air purifiers, facemasks and even a treadmill so that he can get exercise while avoiding going outdoor during levels of extreme air pollution.
“Li Guixin couldn’t take a walk or run like in the past as air quality worsened and he also has to wear a mask now when he goes out,” said Li’s lawyer Wu Yufen. “His case is relevant for everyone in our city.”
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