China's top legislature to review implementation of law on environment

BEIJING -- The top legislature this month will start a nationwide inspection on the enforcement of the Environmental Protection Law, the first since it was revised in 2014.

Five teams of senior lawmakers will be dispatched to eight provinces and autonomous regions, according to a press release from the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee issued Friday.

The NPC Standing Committee gave 23 provincial legislatures permission to manage their own inspections.

Lawmakers will review whether local governments and their environment departments have carried out their duties, implemented pollution control measures, monitored polluters and punished offenders.

The inspection will be the first since the revised law took effect in January 2015. The law is considered the strictest ever, imposing harsh punishment on polluters and highlighting the government's duty.

The inspection teams will produce a report in September that will be submitted to the NPC Standing Committee in October.