China will punish behavior that damages scenic spots more severely with a newly revised regulation, said a source with the Ministry of Construction.

The government has revised the regulation on environmental protection of scenic spots, instituting fines ranging from 500,000 yuan (US$62,500) to 1 million yuan for heavy damage to scenery, vegetation and landforms, said the source.

Those responsible for damage of this kind must restore the natural landscape or dismantle structures that are harmful to the environment within a time limit, according to the draft.

The new draft was triggered after the producers of director Chen Kaige's fantasy movie The Promise were punished for damaging a historic site in Shangrila in southwestern China's Yunnan Province in August.

The film crew was accused of littering and destroying vegetation at a scenic nature reserve known as Blue Sky Pond while the film was being shot in 2004.

A provincial regulation led to a fine of 90,000 yuan for the producers, and a Shangrila county deputy magistrate was fired for dereliction of duty.

Governments usually refer to regulations on scenic area protection made by the local People's Congress, because the national regulation currently in vigor is unclear and its penalties are weak, said the source.

"With the new regulation, the resources and the environment of China's scenic spots will be better protected," said the source.

(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2006)