Fifteen government officials from quake-hit Sichuan Province have been removed from their posts for malpractice involving the quake-relief work.

The officials, ranking from village Party chief to deputy municipal civil affairs bureau chief, were blamed for their tardy response to the quake and malfeasance in later relief work, according to the organization department of the provincial committee of Communist Party of China (CPC).

The officials include seven from Dujiangyan City, six from Mianyang City and two from Maoxian County. Their malpractice has caused "very bad influence" among the public, said an official with the department who declined to be named.

In addition, another 13 officials also received punishment for their wrongdoing on quake relief, said the official who didn't elaborate.

Meanwhile, 50 grassroots officials were promoted for their outstanding performances involving quake victim rescue, evacuation and resettlement, he said.

As of Monday noon, the 8.0-magnitude quake that rocked the southwestern Sichuan Province on May 12 had taken 69,142 lives, injured 374,065 people, left 17,551 missing and 46.25 million affected.

Earlier on May 29, Chinese authorities published a special statute that provided for the punishment of malpractice and fraud involving relief for the quake aid.

The regulation prohibits embezzlement and fraud in the distribution of relief, the trading of relief goods and other official malfeasance.

Institutions and individuals, leading officials in particular, who are found to have engaged in such activities would be severely punished by the Communist Party and the government, it said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2008)