The Ministry of Land and Resources Reports on the 2015 Land and Resources Law Enforcement and Supervision Work
The Ministry of Land and Resources held a press conference on September 15 to report on the progress of land and resources law enforcement and supervision work in 2015 and announced 5 cases of illegal and irregular conduct placed under supervision. From January to August this year, land and resources authorities at all levels filed and investigated a total of 3,193 illegal cases in the mineral resources sector, with fines and confiscations of 235 million yuan; they filed and investigated a total of 39,900 illegal land use cases, involving a land area of 307,300 mu, including 99,700 mu of cultivated land, demolished buildings of 6,613,300 sq m in accordance with the law, confiscated buildings of 12,214,100 sq m, and imposed fines and confiscations of 824 million yuan. Across the country, a total of 1,094 responsible persons received Party disciplinary and administrative sanctions, and 39 responsible persons were held criminally liable.
At the press conference, Yue Xiaowu, deputy director of the Law Enforcement and Supervision Bureau of the Ministry of Land and Resources, said that in 2015 the Ministry of Land and Resources earnestly implemented a series of major policy measures of the State Council on stabilizing growth, promoting reform, adjusting structure, and improving people's livelihoods, fulfilled its duties and took the initiative, and made every effort to promote the implementation of major policies and engineering projects; it deepened reform and pursued innovation, focused on resolving prominent contradictions and problems, improved land and resources policies and management, and did a good job in land and resources support for promoting investment, expanding consumption, and stabilizing growth. At the same time, land and resources authorities at all levels adhered to the strictest resource protection and resource conservation systems, strictly guarded the red line for cultivated land protection, dared to confront difficulties, enforced the law strictly, and held people accountable with severe penalties, effectively safeguarding the order of land and resources management.
Yue Xiaowu said that in 2014, the Ministry of Land and Resources issued the Work Regulations for Investigating and Handling Illegal Acts Involving Land and Resources, and land and resources authorities at all levels enforced the law strictly, in a standardized, fair and civilized manner. In this year's 2014 annual land and mineral satellite image law enforcement and supervision inspection, 22 provincial-level governments held talks with the principal responsible officials of 27 city and 127 county (district) governments. Through these talks, investigation and rectification were promoted.
From January to August this year, land and resources authorities at all levels placed 125 illegal land and resources cases under supervision and publicly reported the results of investigation and handling of 25 illegal land and resources cases.
At the press conference, Yue Xiaowu also reported the 5 latest illegal and irregular cases placed under supervision by the Ministry of Land and Resources. These 5 cases are: the case of illegal land occupation by 13 enterprises in the Modern Agriculture Demonstration Zone of Zhongmu County, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province; the case of illegal land use by the Management Committee of Langyatai Scenic and Historic Area in Chuzhou City, Anhui Province; the case of illegal land use in the Economic and Technological Development Zone of Honghuagang District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province; the case of illegal land approval by the Qinzhou District Government of Tianshui City, Gansu Province; and the case of illegal mining by Shendong Tianlong Group Xinjiang Wucaiwan Coal Co., Ltd.
Yue Xiaowu said that the above 5 cases involved illegal occupation of cultivated land, illegal occupation of agricultural land for non-agricultural construction under the name of facility agriculture, serious infringement of the interests of the masses, and illegal mining of mineral resources.
"At present, under the new normal of economic development, land and resources authorities at all levels must provide proactive services and at the same time enforce the law strictly." Yue Xiaowu put forward four suggestions: First, attention must be paid to giving play to the overall function of land and resources management, and by improving systems, improving management, and providing proactive services, effectively guarantee reasonable land and mineral use needs under the new normal of economic development and reduce procedural violations. Second, the law enforcement approach must be changed, daily law enforcement supervision must be strengthened, and illegal land and mineral use must be "discovered at the initial stage and resolved in the bud." Third, the Measures for Administrative Penalties in Land and Resources and the Work Regulations for Investigating and Handling Illegal Acts Involving Land and Resources must be further implemented, and law enforcement must be strict, standardized, fair and civilized. Fourth, focus must be placed on key points and accountability must be severe. Seriously investigate and handle illegal acts such as illegal occupation of agricultural land for "non-agriculturalization" under the name of "land circulation" and violations of national industrial policy that seriously infringe the interests of the masses, and continue to place major typical cases under supervision and publicly report them.