Wang Yanlin/Shanghai Daily news

About 200 coal mine accidents destroyed many lives in China between 2001 and 2004.
Last year alone, mine accidents claimed 6,027 people. The number of victims ranked third among all accidents after road and railway casualties.
The problem is not the law or a lack of laws. China's Safety Production Law has been in force since 2002. More than 50 related rules and regulations are available. The problem lies in the failure to enforce these laws, rules and regulations.
Li Yizhong, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, said protection from local governments seriously hampers enforcement.
Attaching importance to economic growth, some authorities regard the Safety Production Law as an obstacle to attract investment as it prevents unqualified coal mines from obtaining a license. Meanwhile, the increasing cost of safety measures, in their mind, erodes profit.
Thus, in some places, government officials help a mine owner evade regular safety inspections. They may also ignore the risk of certain disasters caused by an unsafe mine.
Much worse, a few government officials even manipulate the safety inspection. The owner of Heilongjiang Qitaihe's Xinfu coal mine, where an explosion claimed 18 lives in March, is the vice president of the city's safety production supervision bureau.
Effective enforcement of the law is a priority for all levels of government.
Harsher punishment is needed to overturn the idea that economic growth is more important than human lives.
Currently, a mine owner will be fined 20,000 yuan (US$2,400) to 200,000 yuan depending on the nature of the accident. People who are responsible will be sent to prison for at most seven years, some for less than three years.
That is not enough in an industry that affects so many people. Li said in an interview that the government will make punishment much harsher and discipline officials to guarantee the law is followed.
On the other side, miners also need to be more aware of safety. If they find a safety problem they should report it immediately. After all life is the most important asset.