Various departments of China's central government continued their work in disaster relief on Friday after a 7.8-magnitude quake jolted Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
The Ministry of Finance on Friday set aside another 1.17 billion yuan (167 million U.S. dollars) for disaster relief. The move brought the total money earmarked from the central budget so far for quake relief to 3.41 billion yuan.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) ordered to publish psychological counseling manuals to help students of primary and middle schools in quake-hit areas against mental problems.
The books should be sent to the students before June 1. Colleges under the MOE, which have the psychology department, should provide psychological counseling through hotlines or the Internet. The China Education Television and China Education News should establish columns for psychological experts to help quake-affected students.
The Communist Youth League of China and the National Youth Working Committee and called on juvenile volunteers and experts to help with psychological counseling work to quake-affected children.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection said Friday that 31 drinking water sources in 11 cities and counties in Sichuan, including Mianyang, Deyang, Guangyuan, Dujiangyan, Mianzhu and Beichuan, have been tested safe to drink.
The ministry had inspected more than 10,000 companies and factories to clear environmental safety risks.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs on Friday required local bureaus to accommodate survivors properly and built shelter centers to provide relief supplies to them.
As of 5:00 p.m. Thursday, 2,610 shelter centers had been established in quake-stricken areas to provide relief supplies to survivors, the ministry statistics showed.
The ministry had allocated more than 180,000 tents, 220,000 quilts and 170,000 cotton-padded clothes to the quake-hit areas as of 2 p.m. Friday.
The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) said it was stepping up efforts to ensure safety of drugs and medical equipment donated by domestic companies to quake victims.
So far, 170 million yuan worth of medicine and medical equipment has been donated by drug manufacturers under coordination of the SFDA.
The Ministry of Land and Resources and the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping successfully took photos by air over quake-affected populated areas in Sichuan. The information would be handed in for disaster relief and rebuilding.
The Supreme People's Court ordered courts at all levels severely punish those who spread rumors in accordance with laws, to ensure social stability.
The General Administration of Press and Publications extended regards to the reporters working in quake-hit areas, praising their contribution to the disaster relief work.
(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2008)