According to Hong Kong media reports, a large-scale protest broke out in Hefei, the capital of China's Anhui Province, last Saturday night (June 27). Hundreds of citizens took to the streets to gather and sit in protest, expressing their dissatisfaction over the authorities' plan to build a large garbage transfer station near several residential areas and schools, and there were scuffles with the police.
According to reports from Ming Pao and online media "Hong Kong 01", online information shows that Hefei plans to build a large garbage transfer station at the intersection of North Second Ring Road and Banqiao River, covering an area of approximately 4.23 hectares. Within one kilometer of the proposed site are three elementary schools and nearly 20 residential areas, involving about 4,000 teachers and students and nearly 100,000 residents.
According to online circulated publicity documents from the Hefei Natural Resources and Planning Bureau, the project has completed a social stability risk assessment and obtained environmental assessment approvals, with the original publicity period scheduled to end on Thursday (July 2). However, according to Ming Pao's search on the Hefei Urban and Rural Planning Implementation Information Disclosure website on Sunday (June 28), there was no publicly available record of this project's disclosure.
It is reported that because the garbage station was selected near residential areas, it caused strong dissatisfaction among the surrounding residents. According to a "urgent notice" circulated among local citizens, five reasons for opposition are listed, including the claim that the garbage transfer station would worsen pollution and increase health risks for nearby people, with garbage trucks operating day and night bringing congestion, noise, and foul smells, among other concerns.
It is reported that because the garbage station was selected near residential areas, it caused strong dissatisfaction among the surrounding residents. According to a "urgent notice" circulated among local citizens, five reasons for opposition are listed, including the claim that the garbage transfer station would worsen pollution and increase health risks for nearby people, with garbage trucks operating day and night bringing congestion, noise, and foul smells, among other concerns.
For this reason, hundreds of residents gathered near the North Second Ring Haotianyuan North Gate. Online videos show that people blocked the road and chanted protest slogans, and residents staged a sit-in. A large number of police officers confronted the protesters in the middle of the road, and intense scuffles subsequently broke out between the two sides.
There are also accounts that the authorities implemented temporary road controls around the area for a time. The protest caused traffic paralysis on the North Second Ring for at least two hours, with multiple people surrounded and taken away by the police.
According to online sources, Luyang District Chief Yang Binghong rushed to the scene late at night and publicly announced the cancellation of the garbage station project, urging residents to disperse and go home. Afterwards, Hefei Public Security Bureau Deputy Chief Chen Fali also personally guaranteed that the project had been canceled.
According to online sources, Luyang District Chief Yang Binghong rushed to the scene late at night and publicly announced the cancellation of the garbage station project, urging residents to disperse and go home. Afterwards, Hefei Public Security Bureau Deputy Chief Chen Fali also personally guaranteed that the project had been canceled.
As of Monday morning (29th), there have been no reports of the incident in Chinese state media.