China's environmental watchdog has imposed the maximum fine of US$125,000 on a PetroChina subsidiary for polluting the Songhua River in November 2005, state media reported. An explosion at the plant of Jilin Petrochemical Company released about 100 tons of waste containing benzene into the river. Harbin and other cities along the river had to cut water supplies to millions for several days. The incident eventually led to the resignation of State Environmental Protection Administration head Xie Zhenhua last year. SEPA rarely imposes the maximum fine for pollution cases.
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