The Chinese government recently punished 20 officials in the country's north-western province of Gansu after many cases of lead poisoning were reported from the area.

Between March and August last year more than 2,000 people, including some 300 children from the Xinsi, Muba and Liugou villages were found to have excessive levels of lead in their blood. Waste discharge from the 10-year-old smelter of the Huixian Non-ferrous Metal Smelter Company had been polluting the environment of the area since it began operations in 1996.

The chairperson of the company has been charged with destroying environmental resources and 19 other officials