One third of China has acid rain

Critics say local leaders have placed economic development in front of the environment

The report said that pollution levels increased regularly, while air quality declined, although the government pledged to make the air environment cleaner.

In a recent incident, a reservoir for 100,000 residents in China's northwest has been contaminated by chemical detectors.

Some of China's rivers and cities are at the top of the world in terms of pollution.

The report of the pollution inspection board reported to a standing committee of parliament that coal-fired plants emit about 25.5 million tons of sulfur gas, up 27% from 2000.

The concentration of sulfur gas, the main agent causing acid rain has doubled over the safe level. The report says that in some areas, acid rain occurs 100%.

Sheng Huaren of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of China was quoted as saying that "The elevated sulfur content in the air means that one-third of China's territory is affected by acid rain, which causes great danger to land and food safety "