Focus on service brings better life to locals(2)

Public security

The governments at various levels in Jilin have also taken steps to boost public security.

In Changchun, local police began to conduct nightly patrols in July 2011.

They divided the city into 115 patrol areas in the first half of the night and 50 in the second half. Six policemen and a car are arranged in every patrol area. Every team is equipped with a GPS device for the command center of the public security bureau to record their real-time position.

A 24-year-old lady surnamed Li said she is not a Changchun native but works in a private company there. She has to work until 10 pm every day and used to be afraid when walking home after work. But now she feels "less nervous and more secure" because of the nighttime patrols, Li said.

According to statistics from the local public security bureau, the crime rate dropped significantly after the night patrols started.

About 87 percent respondents in a survey said they have seen patrolling police near their homes.

Food safety

Food safety is also a pressing problem related to public quality of life, and it has been addressed through government improvements to social management and services.

The city of Liaoyuan, for example, has established four food safety fast-testing stations in the counties and districts under its jurisdiction as well as 46 smaller such facilities in major food markets.

Every Friday, testing results will be submitted by the stations to the city's food safety office and then published online. They will also be publicized on a board at every station, which also records the information about the inspectors, testing programs and time.

"Previously when buying fruits and vegetables, I was worried about whether or not they had pesticide residues," said Li Jun, a local resident of Dongliao county of Liaoyuan.

"But now with the testing stations set up in food markets, if I am concerned on certain food, I can take them right away for a test. It's very reassuring."

According to the stations, it usually takes only 15 minutes to find out whether there are excessive pesticide residues in sample foods.

A database of food commodities in Liaoyuan has also been built. It can be used to search for the registration information of certain food distribution companies as well as the production date of certain foods. The system can remind people automatically when the expiration date is near.

Currently, 142 companies in Liaoyuan's food-distribution chain, including wholesale companies and supermarkets, have installed the database software.

In the Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture, the local government is also taking measures to supervise food quality.

The government plans to designate one or two food safety demonstration counties every year as well as 10 to 15 demonstration streets and 20 demonstration stores.

It opened a food safety reporting center and a companion website to offer convenient channels for consumer complaints and consultations.

The autonomous prefecture also established similar testing stations in the food markets like the ones in Liaoyuan city. The total number of such facilities has reached nearly 170 across the prefecture.

Administrative offices governing food and drugs have also been established in the villages, where village heads and Party chiefs are supervising the problem.