Chapter 329: Special Meeting

At four in the afternoon, the County Party Committee held a meeting. County Head Wang Baoguo, County Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Zhang Qianyuan, County Political and Legal Committee Secretary Guo Yimeng, County Organization Department Head Guo Tongyu, Executive Vice County Head Yang Chengyu, and Deputy County Head and Public Security Bureau Director Wang Hongpeng attended. The County Court, County Party Committee Inspection Office, Laoshan Town, Environmental Protection Bureau, Economic Development Bureau, Safety Supervision Bureau, Agriculture Bureau, and other relevant units participated in the meeting.

Lu Fan walked into the meeting room, sat in the main seat, scanned the room, and said, "Comrades, we are holding a short meeting regarding the issues of land requisition change of use and pollution in Laoshan Town! Xinbo, distribute the photos collected this morning to everyone."

After the photos were distributed, the meeting room was very quiet, everyone was silent, and some people were already beginning to feel panic.

Three minutes later, Lu Fan said in a calm tone, "In 2014, 110 mu of farmland was contracted and rented to Zhongchuang Biotechnology Co., Ltd., involving the land of 32 households. The purpose was to plant greenhouses, combining breeding and planting oil peaches, cherries, winter dates, and grapes, but now it has turned into a sludge treatment plant, starting to produce organic fertilizer. For three years, environmental pollution has caused harm to the villagers, and it is even more scary when it rains. The villagers have reported to the government and environmental regulatory departments many times, but there has been no response and no handling to this day.

Comrades, the pollution has been going on for three full years. I am puzzled, why has no one managed it? Can one really be so numb to this extent? Who among those present does not know about this? Please raise your hand and let me see!"

Everyone was like an old monk in meditation, eyes watching the nose, nose watching the mouth, mouth watching the heart; no one raised their hand.

Lu Fan said sternly, "It seems that everyone knows about this petition case, but you are just not fulfilling your duties! Laoshan Town, how did you implement your territorial management responsibilities?"

Laoshan Town Party Committee Secretary Wang Shuxian knew he was going to be criticized because the Secretary had already talked to him in advance. He hurriedly stood up and said, "Secretary, in 2015, when Zhongchuang Biotechnology Co., Ltd. changed the use of farmland, we reported it to the County Government with an official document."

Lu Fan's face was gloomy, and he asked in a stern tone, "What about after the farmland was polluted? What did you do? After the situation was reported, can you push the responsibility away cleanly? Why didn't you follow up? As a level of government, why didn't Laoshan Town stop this chaos? This is a serious failure to perform duties, inaction, and lack of responsibility. The organization put you in such an important position; are you worthy of the organization's trust? Are you worthy of the expectations of the people of Laoshan Town? Suspended for reflection, you must make a profound self-criticism at the next Standing Committee meeting!"

Wang Shuxian lowered his head deeply and said sincerely, "Secretary, I was wrong. I am willing to take responsibility and accept punishment! I will definitely learn from the lessons, profoundly reflect on my mistakes, seriously criticize my shortcomings, re-examine my work attitude and methods, strive to improve and raise my ability level, treat future work with a more positive and serious attitude, and guarantee that I will not make the same mistake again!"

This scene stunned the leaders attending the meeting, their faces full of disbelief!

They never expected that just because of such a trivial "small matter," a township Party Committee Secretary would be suspended so easily! Isn't this making a mountain out of a molehill?

Some leaders couldn't help but start worrying about themselves, fearing they would meet the same fate. A tense atmosphere permeated the meeting room, and it was silent!

"Safety Supervision Bureau!" As soon as Lu Fan's voice came out, Safety Supervision Bureau Director Liu Xiangqing stood up involuntarily, his face full of nervousness, fearing that his "hat" would also be "taken off"! In a small county, is it easy to be a Bureau Director? Just because of work negligence, to be "taken off"—isn't that too unjust?

Lu Fan said in a deep voice, "According to the township government and villagers, you have inspected Laoshan Town. Did you form a handling result? Why didn't you continue to follow up?"

Liu Xiangqing stammered, "Secretary, we have inspected Laoshan Town twice and communicated with the enterprise, but Zhongchuang Biotechnology Co., Ltd. turned a deaf ear to our summons!"

Lu Fan's eyes were like torches, and he questioned sternly, "Is the 'Work Safety Law' in your hands just for show? Why don't you administer according to the law? Facing illegal acts that harm the interests of the common people, you actually turned a blind eye. That is the land the common people rely on for survival! The masses have no door to complain and no results from reporting. You are occupying a position without doing the work, turning a blind eye to the demands of the common people! When the broad masses of the people do not exist, what is the meaning of your existence? The Safety Supervision Bureau must make a profound self-criticism and take action immediately!"

Hearing the Secretary's "verdict," Liu Qingxiang couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and immediately stated his position, "Secretary, the Safety Supervision Bureau will immediately take action, rectify immediately, and thoroughly investigate and handle Zhongchuang Biotechnology Co., Ltd. to ensure that similar incidents do not happen again."

Lu Fan nodded at Liu Xiangqing, signaling him to sit down, and then said to the Environmental Protection Bureau Director, "This is the main business of your Environmental Protection Bureau, right? Tell me about your supervision process and results!"

The Environmental Protection Bureau Director also stood up and said very unnaturally, "Secretary, our Environmental Protection Bureau has supervised and inspected the enterprise many times, but due to the shortage of regulatory power and insufficient professional ability, we failed to form timely and effective supervision of the enterprise. This is a serious mistake in our work! In the next step, under the leadership of the County Party Committee and County Government, the Environmental Protection Bureau will concentrate its efforts to increase supervision of the enterprise..."

Lu Fan interrupted him and said, "I don't want you to sing high-sounding words. Today's meeting is to solve problems!

The pollution problem in Laoshan Town has existed for a long time. Why can't it be solved? It is nothing more than these two points: on one hand, driven by interests, the enterprise and regulatory departments play 'guerrilla warfare,' with two faces in front of and behind people, day and night; on the other hand, it is nothing more than the regulators and the enterprise 'hooking shoulders and backs,' turning a blind eye to pollution behavior! Shifting and shelving the reports of the masses, the investigation and feedback are mere formalities, letting 'the problem remain, and people's hearts cool down several times'!

If there is no heart and feelings for the people, and only confined to a small circle of self-protection and self-interest, what does Ganshui need you for? To shit and piss on the heads of the masses?

Is this your Environmental Protection Bureau's inaction or difficulty in acting? Or is it lazy administration? Is it departmental interests blocking and reducing the interests of the masses? Or is the enterprise rich and powerful, with boundless magic?"

Hearing these words that raised the issue to the level of principle, the Environmental Protection Bureau Director was shocked and felt very bad.

Lu Fan continued, "Although the Environmental Protection Bureau is a unit managed from above, your duty and mission are still to serve the people of Ganshui. Although the County Party Committee cannot directly dismiss you, I can completely suggest to the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau that you be removed! In addition, for three full years, you have let the enterprise's illegal behavior run wild. Is the Environmental Protection Bureau intentionally shielding it? Is there corruption involved? I think it is completely necessary for the County Discipline Inspection Committee to investigate!"

Once these words were spoken, the Environmental Protection Bureau Director was immediately panicked, hurriedly admitted his mistake, and stated that the Environmental Protection Bureau would immediately carry out actions, actively fulfill duties, and severely punish the enterprise's illegal behavior.

Lu Fan was noncommittal and said, "Comrades, the problem in Laoshan Town can be seen by anyone with eyes. Contracted farmland is used for industrial production, turning farmland into a waste oil mud treatment plant, and it has survived for three full years. You know it yourselves, is it possible without anyone protecting and indulging it?

Since the problem has occurred, any nonsense is useless. We must thoroughly investigate, respond, and hold accountable! We must resolutely crack down on violators and lawbreakers, and dig out the protective umbrellas and derelict officials. We must never let a single rat turd spoil a whole pot of porridge!

Combing through the whole event process, we have to admit that our regulatory mechanism still has hidden dangers and loopholes. In the current era where unscrupulous enterprises are still difficult to eliminate, we must use heavy codes and heavy fists to increase the cost of breaking the law and truly play a deterrent role.

The damage of lazy administration to the government's credibility cannot be ignored. Your repeated turning a blind eye, and the common people's repeated 'no door to handle things,' result in you becoming more and more 'cold and aloof,' constantly detaching from the masses. Leaving the foundation of existence, no matter how magnificent the building is, how will the diligent or lazy cadres in the building exist?

Rectifying the illegal behavior of enterprises cannot tolerate any flaws, cannot have any luck, and cannot let them earn black-hearted money stained with blood!

Please, County Head Baoguo, take the lead, with relevant units cooperating, organize an expert team to assess the polluted farmland, and severely punish the polluting enterprise. Never indulge or tolerate; fine them until they are bankrupt! At the same time, the polluted farmland must be ecologically restored, which must be borne by the enterprise, and the villagers' economic losses must be compensated! The Public Security Bureau should effectively control the enterprise's assets so they don't run away! Relevant units should fulfill their duties and act quickly, and must see results!"

"Comrades, in today's era where everyone is self-media, major events related to the vital interests of the common people, once problems arise, social attention is inevitable. Trying to cover up and hide the truth is impossible, and even counterproductive. We must satisfy the masses' right to know, respond to concerns in a timely manner, and have the courage to take responsibility, so that we can face difficulties together with the common people!"

"Three days later, I want to hear a report. Any leader or department that dares to shirk responsibility or perfunctorily deal with matters involving the vital interests of the common people will be seriously dealt with by the County Party Committee and County Government!"

County Head Wang Baoguo said with a solemn expression, "The Secretary spoke very specifically. The County Government will immediately come up with a work plan. Please, all relevant units, attach great importance, seriously cooperate, and actively take action to conduct in-depth investigations and strict law enforcement on the involved enterprise, and jointly safeguard the vital interests of the common people."

Lu Fan stood up and said, "Please, everyone, fulfill your duties. Meeting adjourned!"

When leaving, Lu Fan looked at Executive Vice County Head Yang Chengyu with deep meaning. Today, he was saving face for him; he was the real leader in charge!

Yang Chengyu did not dare to look directly at Lu Fan's gaze, lowered his head with a guilty conscience, and his heart was in turmoil.

In this meeting, everyone witnessed the tough side of County Party Committee Secretary Lu Fan.

Laoshan Town Party Committee Secretary Wang Shuxian wanted to go to Lu Fan's office to report on work, but was blocked at the door by Lu Fan, who said to him, "Go back and do a good job of rectification. If there are any more slips in work, it won't just be a suspension!"

Wang Shuxian was immediately relieved. Suspension is not dismissal; it is harmless, and work still has to be done! ===== CHAPTER 330 =====