The number of illegal factories on farmland has increased by 20,000 in three years. The government took an oath to report and dismantle, but only 157 were investigated and dealt with, and the delegation denounced the Ministry of Economic Affairs for being

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The chaos of illegal factories on agricultural land in Taiwan is serious. The government claims that the factories will be reported and demolished immediately after May 20, 2016, and the central government has been given the right and responsibility to cut off water and cut off water through the Amendment Law of the Factory Management guidance Law (abbreviated as the "Labor Assistance Law"). However, the progress of the investigation and punishment of illegal factories has almost stalled.

According to the manufacturing tax information compared by the Earth Citizen Foundation, there were at least 20406 new unregistered factories between May 20, 2016 and the end of 2019. According to the website of the Central Office of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, as of June 30 this year, only 157factories in Taiwan have actually been investigated and punished, of which 11 have shut down power supply, one has stopped water and power supply, and only one has been demolished.

The Changhua County Environmental Protection Alliance even visited the factories that were reported and punished by the Ministry of Economic Affairs to stop power supply, but they still saw that the factory was still in operation, and one of them was generous with signs on the Internet to sell products. The Earth Citizen Foundation, Changhua County Environmental Protection Alliance, ambitious Ecological Association and cross-party legislators held a press conference at the economic gate today (8), denouncing the Ministry of Economic Affairs for dereliction of duty and laziness. Call on the Ministry of Economic Affairs to disclose the list and number of unregistered factories in accordance with the law, and invite experts, scholars and non-governmental organizations to participate in the factory management counseling meeting.

The ring delegation and cross-party legislators jointly called on the Ministry of Economic Affairs to disclose the list of new and existing unregistered factories and the progress of the demolition of farmland factories in various counties and cities. (photo by Lin Yijun) after 520, 2016, there were at least 20406 new violations, while the Ministry of Economic Affairs only controlled 466.

The "Labor Assistance Law" has been revised for one year, and in the three months since it was on the road on 20 March this year, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has made slow progress in enforcing the law and failed to disclose information in accordance with the law.

Cai Jiayu, commissioner of the Mountain and Forest Land Section of the Earth Citizen Foundation, said that the Ministry of Economic Affairs has only 466 new illegal factories on agricultural land. According to the actual estimate of the number of enterprises without factory registration in the manufacturing tax register, it is found that the number has increased by at least 20406 after May 20, 2016. "what does it mean that the Ministry of Economic Affairs spent more than 70 million to check, but only 466 were confirmed?"

"even if the progress of implementation is slow, there is no list and quantity that should be checked." Cai Jiayuan said that on June 30, the central office posted "the relevant investigation and punishment of suspected unregistered factories in various counties and cities" on the webpage, but after the actual click, the content only recorded the "completed quantity" of each county and city, and there was no "quantity to be completed." there is no place number and list to check.

According to the implementation progress announced on the website of the Central Office of the Ministry of Economic Affairs on June 30, a total of 157 factories are being implemented. among them, 43 illegal factories have been ordered to stop work, 7 have stopped work, 11 have stopped power supply, and only one has stopped water and power outage and demolition.

Tsai Chia-hsien said that in 109, the Ministry of Economic Affairs sent a letter to the counties and municipal governments to complete the inventory report, but so far this information has not been made public. Only in the questions raised by legislator Qiu Xianzhi and some media articles, we can see that the Ministry of Economic Affairs has revealed some figures. "the Ministry of Economic Affairs is willing to disclose it to legislators, but it is not willing to disclose it to the public. It is really impossible to know where the current progress has been."

Cai Zhongyue (Photography _ Lin Yijun), Deputy CEO of the Earth Citizen Foundation, Changhua County Environmental Protection Alliance: the Ministry of Economic Affairs claimed that all the factories had been without water and electricity, and a field visit found that it was open as usual.

The county and city with the largest number of illegal factories on farmland is Changhua County. Wu Huijun, executive secretary of Changhua County Environmental Protection Alliance, said that since 2017, the alliance has jointly reported at least 68 illegal factories with relevant groups. "this does not include the number of cases reported to the government by the Earth Citizen Foundation or the public!" According to the figures announced by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, only 53 factories have been investigated and dealt with, of which 6 have violated the rules, 11 have stopped power supply, and 1 has gone out of business.

The Changhua County Environmental Protection Alliance is very skeptical about the data. Wu Huijun said that in July 2019, the Ministry of Economic Affairs stated on Facebook that "all 12 houses reported by the ring regiment had lost water and electricity and could not be produced." However, during a field visit, it was found that the largest factory, located in Lugang, covering an area of 2200 ping, reported in January 2019 that trucks and personnel were still going in and out in 2020. "can this be regarded as a blatant lie by the Ministry of Economic Affairs on Facebook?"