China reviews disaster reduction law

BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Chinese media) -- Chinese lawmakers are reviewing a draft

amendment to the country's law on earthquake damage prevention and disaster

reduction at a bi-monthly session of the top legislature started here Monday.

The draft amendment was handed over by the State Council, or Cabinet, to

the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee for its second hearing.

The draft amendment is expected to be passed within the week.

According to the new regulations, individuals or organizations would be

encouraged to alert relevant administrations should they find signs of a

possible earthquake.

Each individual and organization would have legal obligations to

participate in quake damage prevention and disaster reduction in accordance with

the law, it said.

The government would also encourage people to take part in quake relief on

a volunteering basis, and would set up regulations for the volunteers.

The new regulations give government financial support to earthquake

insurance policies, and would encourage individuals and organizations to buy

earthquake insurance policies in the future.

In addition, government departments in charge of quake relief funds

distribution would have to publish detailed reports on the spending of the

funds, the amendment said.

Government departments, civil organizations and enterprises should also

strengthen earthquake relief education among the public, and conduct earthquake

drills, the new regulations read.

The draft amendment, which was submitted for first hearing in October,

asked contractors to build school facilities with a higher anti-quake criteria

than common buildings in surrounding areas. It also stressed that neither

individuals nor organizations could release earthquake forecasts to the public

as that is the sole role of the government.