Hubei province is to establish a strict system of monitoring and punishment to tackle worsening water pollution, targeting those who discharge pollutants into water sources.

The new system will be based on a regulation approved at the annual session of the provincial people's congress, which ended on Wednesday, and will come into force in July.

Companies and individuals guilty of environmental violations or who fail to comply with pollutant discharge rules will be penalized, with additional penalties applied daily until they have complied, according to the new regulation. The penalties will be based on and expanded from the system of fines already in place.