A viral social media video exposing a garbage-filled karst cave in the scenic area of Zhangjiajie in Hunan province triggered China’s characteristic “swatting at flies” (打苍蝇) media response — with outlets like Shanghai-based Guancha (观察者网) and The Beijing News (新京报) tackling local environmental negligence after years of feckless silence. The polluted cave in Cili County (慈利县), created by illegal waste discharge from three livestock farms now under investigation, contained 2.7 tons of refuse including water bottles dating to 2015, suggesting years of contamination that went unchecked. The Beijing News questioned how authorities had failed to notice the waste dumping, which had gathered despite constant complaints from residents over unstable water quality. Back in March, facing citizen pressure, the local government issued perfunctory cleanup notices but ignored the underlying causes. Action was only forced last month, when heavy rains caused sewage overflows. What might make a real difference? Active local media.
