By Xinhua
Beijing : China has framed a law to improve the country’s ability to handle frequent industrial accidents, natural disasters and health and public security hazards.
With seven chapters and 70 clauses, the law will be effective from Nov 1.
Four colours of emergency declaration (blue, yellow, orange and red) shall be used to indicate the hazard level, with “red” signalling the most serious situation.
The new law will help effectively to minimise losses and prevent minor mishaps from turning into major public crisis, lawmakers said.
The law bans the fabrication and spread of false information on accidents and disasters and requires government to provide accurate and timely information.
“People’s governments in charge of coping with an emergency should provide unified, accurate and timely information on the emergency and its development,” it says.
The law also states “units and individuals are prohibited from fabricating or spreading false information regarding emergencies and government efforts to cope with emergencies”.
Offenders will be warned, it says. Media organisations or web companies may face revoking of business licenses if their offences have led to serious consequences.
Government officials shall be given administrative punishment if they engage in such malpractices, says the law.
Behaviour that contravenes public security management rules or criminal statutes will be prosecuted, it says.
The law requires “harsh punishments for looting of properties during emergencies and for disrupting emergency response work”.