Exertions should be made to ensure supplies of coal, oil, gas, electricity
and agricultural goods and materials, according to an executive meeting of the
State Council, China's Cabinet, held yesterday.
The meeting, presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao, pointed out the guarantee
of coal, oil, gas, electricity and agricultural goods supplies would provide the
basis for promoting disaster relief, garnering agricultural harvests for the
whole year and maintaining the national economy on a healthy and fast track.
The overall supply and demand for coal, oil, electricity and agricultural
goods and materials are now in balance, with short supplies in some areas.
Efforts should be exerted to ensure coal, oil and electricity supplies
firstly for the areas ravaged by the May 12 earthquake. On the precondition of
work safety, coal production should be resumed as soon as possible in
quake-battered Sichuan Province. Electricity transmission equipment and
facilities should be repaired and restored as soon as possible to resume power
supply in the quake-hit areas.
Meanwhile, according to the meeting, coal and oil production should be
increased nationwide to ensure supply in peak season. Enterprises of high energy
consumption and high pollution should have their electricity supplies
restricted.
Fertilizer supply should be ensured and prices be kept stable. Coal,
electricity, gas and raw materials supplies should be guaranteed for major
fertilizer production enterprises. Export of fertilizer and its raw materials
should be curbed, the meeting said.