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The city of Beijing recently announced a new list of 392 legal actions that 'chengguan'or urban patrol officers can apply, mainly in 12 areas, such as environmental protection, parking, construction sites, urban appearance, sanitation, and food security.
About 40 percent of the actions on the list, which appeared on the municipal government website -- beijing.gov.cn -- concern the city's appearance and its garbage removal, illegal or fake advertisements, and landscape and lighting.
In addition to imposing penalties, the officers can confiscate illegal gains, suspend production or operations and issue a warning. People are generally more familiar with actions concerning unlicensed business activities, construction site pollution, outdoor barbecues, illegal ads posted helter-skelter in public places, and unlicensed taxis, according to an urban management bureau officer.
The officer went on to explain that the list of legal actions is meant to clarify the degree of law enforcement and encourage the public to comment on the exercise of power, and to help them understand that legal sanctions are not simply involved with looking for unlicensed peddlers.
Some improper behavior by officers in some cities has given them an image of heartless, corrupt enforcers, although, in fact, for quite some time urban management offices and their specific power has remained quite vague.
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'Chengguan' or urban patrol officers clearing away illegal fireworks on the ground in Beijing. [Photo by Wen Zhao/Asianewsphoto] |
