China's environmental watchdog Monday issued an urgent notice asking localities to take effective measures to prevent the pollution disasters in the country.

"Environmental protection bureaus nationwide must give top priority to preventing the outbreak of major pollution," said the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) in the notice.

SEPA asked localities to "check immediately major pollution sources and investigate the hidden dangers of dangerous chemical pollution, especially in large communities, along the rivers and water-supply areas.

"Environmental emergency counter-plans must be mapped out or improved to minimize the impact of pollution in case it should happen," said the notice, noting that such incidents must be reported to SEPA "in time."

The notice is issued after the recent occurrence of several major pollution accidents affecting the lives of millions of people.

A chemical plant explosion in northeast China's Jilin City of Jilin Province two weeks ago severely polluted nearby Songhua River, forcing Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province in downstream, to cut off the water supply to its 3.8 million residents for four days.

The pollution slick is moving towards Heilongjiang, bordering China and Russia. Two other river pollution accidents caused by chemical plant explosions and spills in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality and central Hunan Province last week are "under control", according to SEPA.

(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2005)