Chapter 1437: Chapter 229: Showing No Favoritism!
On the morning of the 6th, the Changhang Bureau, following the deployment requirements of the Changhang Police Bureau, formally launched a major inspection and rectification focusing on key areas such as dangerous goods port enterprises, docks, and oil depots, targeting potential safety hazards.
Han Yu personally led the team, starting the inspection from Binjiang Port.
The No. 2 Floating Crane Pier at Binjiang Port was the first to be caught. Because the floating crane pier drifts in the river, the workers need to take a transport boat to change shifts. The pier director and the transport boat driver, for the sake of convenient refueling, violated regulations by storing four large barrels of gasoline on the deck of the floating crane ship.
This is a major fire safety hazard. A single spark could cause a fire at the floating crane pier. The wind on the river is strong, and if a fire starts, it could quickly spread to the freighters loading and unloading goods at the floating crane pier!
In addition, there were also issues with the fire-fighting equipment at the floating crane pier. Han Yu immediately instructed the firefighting police officers accompanying the inspection to issue four fines totaling 2,000 yuan on-site according to the relevant provisions of the Fire Protection Law, and the transport boat driver who stored gasoline without authorization was administratively detained for five days.
The news reached the shore, and everyone was stunned!
It should be known that the salary of the Changhang Bureau police officers still comes from the Binjiang Port Group, and the floating crane ship that was inspected is a meritorious vessel, having once gone to Jingjiang to fight floods and prevent disasters under Han Yu’s leadership in 1998.
The pier director, deputy director, and several team leaders, including the detained transport boat driver, are all reserve soldiers from the Linghai Reserve Camp, and all are former subordinates of Han Yu. No one dared to believe that Han Yu would be so unsentimental as to send his old subordinates, who had fought together against floods and disasters, into detention.
The inspection continues. The latest news indicates that as of five minutes ago, fines totaling 18,000 yuan have already been issued to Binjiang Port.
Gu Pengfei was anxious but dared not call Han Yu, so he contacted Xiao Yu. However, Xiao Yu was also busy with the inspection and couldn’t take the call. Left with no other option, he hurriedly went to the Maritime Bureau and asked Wu Hai Li, director of the transportation center at the Maritime Bureau, to plead on their behalf.
Wu Hai Li was in a difficult position and asked intensely: "It’s so hot that the deck could fry an egg. Can four large barrels of gasoline be left exposed on the deck like that?"
"I don’t know. The floating crane pier is no longer under my jurisdiction!"
"Then why are you worried?"
"Old Sun has been detained, how can I not be worried?" Gu Pengfei retorted, with a bitter face, "President Yang just called me, saying that a fine is easy to talk about, but people can’t go in. Besides, Old Sun is not an outsider; he is our comrade!"
Han Yu wouldn’t cut himself off without reason.
Wu Hai Li really didn’t want to make this call and asked after a pause, "Does Fang Guoya know about Old Sun’s detention?"
"He knows, but he can’t attend to it right now."
"What is he busy with?"
"Salted Fish is leading people to inspect one pier after another. The fines and rectification notices are being issued one after another. Fang Guoya has to arrange people to check the piers that haven’t been inspected yet to see if there are any safety hazards, and he also has to organize people to rectify promptly. President Yang has given a strict order that production must not be affected by fire inspections!"
Wu Hai Li asked in shock: "Has Salted Fish issued a suspension notice for rectification?"
Gu Pengfei confirmed with a frown: "As long as issues are found during the inspection, all loading and unloading operations at the related piers must stop!"
Stopping pier operations for a day can cause losses of tens of thousands or even millions.
Wu Hai Li realized the severity of the issue and said quietly: "Have a cup of tea first, I’ll go and find out what’s really going on."
"Okay, hurry up."
...
Comrade Old Wu hurried to the deputy director’s office and urgently said to Sister Zhu: "Director Zhu, Salted Fish has gone crazy. He is conducting a massive fire safety inspection, not only fining Binjiang Port but also issuing suspension notices for rectification to several piers of Binjiang Port!"
"Really?"
"You should remember Old Sun from the floating crane pier. Old Sun found it inconvenient to refuel at the station, so he stored four large barrels of gasoline exposed on the deck of the floating crane ship. Salted Fish showed no mercy and actually wants to detain Old Sun!"
"Is that all?" Sister Zhu asked calmly.
"Isn’t that enough?" Wu Hai Li genuinely worried about Salted Fish, reminded: "The leaders at Binjiang Port have always been supportive of his work. He can’t act without distinguishing right from wrong. Even if he’s a new official wanting to make an impression, this is going too far."
Old Wu is not an outsider.
Sister Zhu walked over, closed the door, and spoke softly: "The Changhang Bureau Water Fire Rescue Team has been sued because of the fire accident responsibility recognition they previously issued. If this lawsuit continues, not only will they lose again, but it will also cause an even more adverse impact."
"What does this have to do with fining Binjiang Port and detaining its staff?"
"I haven’t finished yet."
Sister Zhu returned to her seat and patiently explained: "Losing the lawsuit isn’t as simple as issuing a new fire accident responsibility recognition. They also have to pay litigation costs, which are fifty thousand. The Changhang Bureau doesn’t have that much money."
Wu Hai Li realized: "Salted Fish is raising funds through fines?"
Sister Zhu smiled: "First, tackle the hardest bone. Start with Binjiang Port; even penalize their Bureau’s financial backers, detain his own former subordinates, and there will be no resistance in subsequent inspections. Think about it, if they inspect other units and uncover problems, even if someone wants to plead, they can’t say anything."
"But what about Old Sun?"
"You mentioned earlier, didn’t you, that Old Sun indeed violated the fire safety management regulations by exposing four large barrels of gasoline on the deck. That’s extremely irresponsible, and detention is his own doing!"
Sister Zhu paused and continued: "Moreover, stricter inspections and heavier penalties are beneficial for us. We, in the maritime sector, also have the duty of fire safety management. Nothing happens, it’s fine; but if a major fire occurs, Salted Fish’s days will be tough, and ours won’t be better either."
Previously, fire safety on the river was mainly managed by the maritime authorities.
Now, fire safety on the river primarily falls under the Changhang Bureau, but the Maritime Bureau still has fire safety management responsibilities.
From this perspective, everything Salted Fish does is truly desirable for the Maritime Bureau.
Wu Hai Li was unsure of what to say, when Sister Zhu casually remarked: "Old Wu, even if you didn’t come to me, I would have called you later. Salted Fish is currently short of funds, and in terms of water fire safety management, they do indeed have an advantage over us. When you return, inform each Maritime Department that whenever they discover any vessels with fire safety hazards or violations of fire safety regulations, they should contact the Changhang Bureau Water Fire Rescue Team for enforcement."
This is helping Salted Fish with fines...
Wu Hai Li couldn’t miss Sister Zhu’s genuine intentions, and quickly nodded: "Understood, I will go back and notify them."
...
One stone stirred up a thousand waves.
The enterprises and institutions along the river were each larger than the last.
Just as Han Yu personally led the team for a fire safety inspection and rectification at several piers in Binjiang Port, the fire brigade and the dedicated fire police from several Police Stations were conducting similar inspections on companies along the coastline.
The oil company’s reserve depot had eleven fire hazards of various sizes, not only receiving a stack of fines but also being ordered to cease operations for rectification. The fire safety hazards at Binjiang Second Chemical Plant were even greater...
China is a society of interpersonal connections.
No matter who encounters an issue, the first thought is to find someone.
The party and government leaders of Gangzha District, Chonggang District, the development zone, and even Changzhou and Linghai soon received the news and simultaneously called Han Yu.
However, no matter how they called, they couldn’t get through. Han Yu had foreseen someone would try to intervene, so he had turned off his phone early in the morning.
The district and county leaders were not well acquainted with Director Qi, and knowing full well that matters concerning the "Binjiang Water Army Commander" might not be influenced by the outsider monk, they thought of Vice Mayor Qin.
Vice Mayor Qin couldn’t handle other matters; just answering the phone kept him busy.
"Are you saying the Changhang Bureau’s fire safety inspection is affecting your district’s business operations?"
"He’s disregarding everything and directly issuing a shutdown notice for rectification; of course, a shutdown affects business operations."
"Didn’t he warn the relevant businesses first?"
"To speak of warning, they have warned before. But some issues can’t be solved overnight, such as building a fire passageway or laying fire water pipelines, which require major efforts, funds, and time."
Vice Mayor Qin knew yesterday that Han Yu was looking for funding to fill the gaps created by the Changhang Bureau Water Fire Rescue Team. As the Deputy Mayor overseeing industry, he also didn’t want to see those enterprises along the river always having safety hazards.
After a moment of silence, he said coldly: "They reminded you in advance and even warned you, yet you disregarded it. Now that they’re serious, who can you blame? Moreover, the weather is getting hotter, and we’re entering the peak season for fires. If you don’t rectify promptly, what will happen if a fire breaks out?"
"Mayor Qin, I understand what you’re saying, but can you give our companies a little time?"
"These matters aren’t for me to decide. They are a vertically managed unit, and their superiors have already clarified that fire safety on the river and coastline is under their jurisdiction. They’re fulfilling their duties; how am I supposed to help you negotiate with them?"
Meanwhile, Han Xiangning was also getting overwhelmed.
Changzhou’s eastern coastline in Binjiang District is short, with few businesses, but the western coastline in Binjiang District is long, especially the section near Gaoru, where there are four shipyards.
Half an hour ago, those four shipyards were penalized and ordered to cease operations for rectification by the Changhang Bureau due to violations like using open flames against regulations, workers smoking in areas with fire and explosion risks, and incomplete fire facilities.
The shipyard managers called Secretary Chu, and Secretary Chu directly thought of Han Yu, Han Xiangning’s spouse, and called Han Xiangning urgently for a solution.
How should one ’solve’ such matters?
After understanding the situation, Han Xiangning dialed Secretary Chu’s phone, saying with a bitter expression: "Secretary Chu, Salted Fish’s phone is turned off; I can’t reach him either."
"He can’t be inspecting alone along the river; you’re familiar with the Changhang Bureau, call and ask who’s with him."
"I’ve called and asked; this matter might be difficult to handle."
"Comrade Xiang Ning, I understand your situation well. Once you speak, will your spouse dare not follow through?"
"Secretary Chu, if it were other matters, he would listen to me, but I guess he won’t in this case."
Han Xiangning took several deep breaths and smiled bitterly: "In Binjiang Port, there’s an employee serving as a reservist at the Linghai Reserve Camp, who back then went to Beihu with him for flood fighting and emergency rescue. Due to storing four big barrels of gasoline on the Floating Crane Pier deck without permission, he was just administratively detained this morning.
That was his former subordinate, they had a life-and-death bond, yet he strictly sent the person to the detention center for violating fire safety management regulations. Binjiang Port is what used to be the Port Authority, whose leaders have always taken good care of him. But he punishes when necessary, and orders shutdowns and rectifications when needed."
Dealing with someone who recognizes no relatives and sends a life-and-death bonded old subordinate to detention, what more can Secretary Chu say? After a moment of silence, he helplessly said: "Since that’s the case, let’s leave it at that. I’ll call those CEOs and tell them to quickly rectify as required."
