Someone wants to sleep on the tracks
Just as he sat in the mayor's seat, a pressing matter arose. The environmental pollution problem that had been hidden in Fuzhou for a long time was about to erupt like a volcano. According to reliable sources, someone is planning to organize thousands of people to lie on the Longhai Railway, China's east-west transportation artery, in an attempt to achieve their goals.
The contradiction arose in this way. In the western suburbs of Fuzhou, there is a chemical plant that has been operating for more than three years, producing a sulfuric acid product. Since the sulfuric acid factory went into production, the surrounding three villages have undergone mysterious changes. First, the water in the wells had an unusual smell, and then the small rivers surrounding the villages gradually changed color. The originally clear streams became dark yellow, green, and sometimes yellow-green, emitting a foul odor. The fields near the sulfuric acid factory also slowly changed, and the previously lush and vibrant vegetable gardens were no longer so green and fresh. Even the taste of the vegetables had changed, becoming unpalatable. The wheat, corn, and rice paddies... no matter what was planted, their growth was greatly reduced compared to before, like a child suffering from a strange disease, always hunched over with a pale complexion and lacking energy. The harvest naturally decreased. What's more, the village began to see some strange diseases appear. People of a certain age contracted tumors that had never been heard of before, and newborn babies were born with birth defects. Therefore, people said that this was all caused by the sulfuric acid factory. The villagers from the three villages began demanding that the sulfuric acid factory stop production. It is said that this voice has been ongoing for four seasons, but the sulfuric acid factory did not stop production due to these calls.
This is because there is another brand new version of what was said about acid:
Sulfuric acid is a chemical product with a broad market, not only in China but also globally, especially in the First World, where demand for this product is huge and prices are rising. Whatever amount of sulfuric acid you produce, people will buy it, and the profit is enormous. Just last year, this sulfuric acid factory paid 30 million yuan in taxes and invested in public welfare projects in the town, renovating the town government office building and expanding the local primary school. Of course, sulfuric acid can be produced sustainably; not only can it earn a lot of money, but it is also not as worrisome as villagers have said. Official speeches are not as casual as those of ordinary people, who speak based on feelings and conclusions. Official words are based on evidence, including test reports, expert arguments, and authoritative departmental conclusions.
According to the results of the acidification test and expert argumentation, the authoritative department's conclusion is that although s-acid has a slight toxin discharge into the surrounding environment, it does not pose a threat to human survival in terms of drinking water, soil quality, or air.
There is indeed a problem, or someone is making a big deal out of nothing, fearing that the world will not be chaotic. For a moment, I was also confused. But there is one thing I am clear about: nowadays, just listening to reports is absolutely not enough. This is the conclusion I have drawn after serving as mayor for many years.
Nowadays, many officials are only living for themselves, working for their own interests. When they speak or do something, it's not about whether it's right or wrong for work, or whether it's right or wrong for the people, but rather how to say something or do something that will please their superiors and benefit themselves.
Many high-ranking leaders are easily deceived by these people if they let their guard down. I have experienced this myself and learned a lesson from it. Thinking about this, I decided to visit the sulfuric acid factory in Fushi City myself. If I don't see it with my own eyes, I won't be at ease.
Alas! Nowadays, things are like this! Alas! If the volcano really erupts, thousands of peasants will lie across the railroad tracks, and the Lianyungang artery will be severed... Ah, what kind of thing is this?!
At that time, it won't just be the people of Q City or Q Province who will question me, but the whole country will ask how I became the mayor of Q City. What a big joke... As I thought about this, I got into an Audi sedan and instructed the driver to head straight to the S Acid Factory in Fuzhou. My secretary, Zhao Bing, who followed me into the car, asked if he should notify Secretary-General Lao Bai to arrange for some people to go with us and make a phone call to the Fuzhou government to prepare for the reception work. I said, forget it, this time we'll keep a low profile, just the three of us. If Secretary-General finds out that I'm going to Fuzhou, he will follow the usual procedure and dispatch some personnel to accompany me, making a big fuss and causing trouble, which would only lead to half the results with twice the effort. If we make a phone call, the Fuzhou government will learn about the visit of their superior mayor and immediately start arranging for a grand reception, including welcoming ceremonies, accompanying officials, media reports, banquet arrangements, leisure activities, and so on. More importantly, they will secretly manipulate things behind my back, deciding who can approach me, what I should or shouldn't hear, and what I should or shouldn't see. I would only be able to follow the carefully planned script of the local officials, going through the motions according to their design. If we go about it this way, everything I see and hear will definitely be the usual clichés, and I won't be able to get a glimpse of the true face of Fuzhou.
