Some media outlets report that, in order to get larger compensation for demolition of houses, many people in the suburbs of Jinping, Yunnan province, are demolishing their residences and constructing buildings illegally on paddy fields. The local government has indeed conducted an investigation into the demolitions and building of houses, but they should take stricter measures against the culprits to stop such illegal activities, says an article on people.com.cn. Excerpts:

Jinping is not the only place where people have tried to use the regulation for compensation for demolished houses to their advantage. In fact, they have founded "special companies" to illegally build housing units after demolishing houses to get compensation from the government.

Although people who had illegally constructed buildings in Jinping didn't succeed in getting compensation thanks to the local government's probe, many people elsewhere have succeeded in their efforts, prompting fellow frauds in other provinces and regions to follow in their illegal footsteps.

Therefore, law enforcement officials should not just raze the illegal buildings, but also punish the guilty to deter other people from imitating their illegal and dirty examples. Such people should not be allowed to go scot-free.

More importantly, government officials who have helped people build illegal structures deserve stricter punishment, because they have had an extremely negative impact on society.

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(China Daily 06/25/2014 page9)