Chinese cities have been urged to step up the construction of their drainage systems to avoid flooding during the rainy season after a young woman in Hunan Province fell into an uncovered sewer hole during heavy rain in March.
The construction should be included in the evaluation of a government's performance, said a State Council notice released on Monday. Local authorities should work to eliminate hidden troubles and take emergency measures to avoid casualties and heavy property losses caused by rainstorms.
Cities should finish compiling their construction plans for better drainage systems by 2014, according to the notice, which said upgrades of existing drainage networks will begin within five years and be completed within a decade.
The notice also requires authorities to increase investment and establish contingency mechanisms.
Yang Lijun, 21, fell into a six-meter-deep sewer hole in Changsha on March 22. Her body has never been found.
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