The performance of Party officials in China's snow disaster
relief and restoration work will be scored and used as gauges for
future promotion or dismissal of public posts, said a newly-issued
circular.
The snow storms have posed a challenging test against the whole
nation, but also lends itself to showcasing Party officials'
management and ruling capacities, said the circular issued by the
Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Central Committee.
It said Party officials in snow-stricken areas will be scored
for their performances in the disaster relief and restoration work.
Their performances will be taken into consideration in future
promotion or dismissal of their posts.
"Any Party official who derelicts his duties, or leaves his
posts without permission during the snow storms will be severely
punished," it stressed.
The circular urged all Party members to devote themselves to
normalizing life and production in snow-hit provinces as early as
possible.
The prolonged low temperatures, icy rain and heavy snow in the
central and southern parts of China have so far left 107 people
dead and eight missing. It has caused direct economic loss
estimated at 111.1 billion yuan (about 15.4 billion U.S.
dollars).
In all, 21 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have
been affected. About 1.5 million people have been relocated, and
1.93 million were left stranded before finding transport.
The freak weather affected almost 24.4 million hectares of
farmland and 18.6 million hectares of forests, leading to the
collapse of about 354,000 houses.
(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2008)