On October 31, 2024, in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, a deputy director of a planning bureau sparked heated discussions after news emerged that he escaped through a window from a toilet to avoid facing questions from the public.
On October 29, a netizen posted a video showing that a person in charge at the planning bureau of Qujiang New District in Xi’an secretly escaped through a window of the toilet when receiving visiting members of the public due to being unable to answer their questions.
The video uploader said, “Near our neighborhood, there is ongoing relocation, but recent changes in the planning have led to a shift in the originally allocated housing locations, which is drastically different from the previous proposal. When we communicated with the person in charge of the planning bureau, in order to avoid answering questions, this person escaped through the window of the toilet.”
According to Da Wan News, staff from the local Natural Resources and Planning Bureau stated that on the morning of the 29th, a deputy director of the bureau received petitions from citizens from around nine in the morning until around one in the afternoon, but the citizens would not let him leave, so he had to leave through the window.
The deputy director escaping through the window of the toilet in front of visiting citizens has sparked discussions among netizens. Many believe that this action by the deputy director was “undignified.” Some netizens expressed disappointment in public officials evading questions.
A commentary from Red Star News pointed out that what is more worth attention than the deputy director’s exit is what led to this incident in the first place.
Related staff stated, “The changes in the relocation plan are influenced by work arrangements. The main issue raised by citizens is that the current residential areas in the plan are too close to high-voltage lines. We are also studying how to handle the migration of the high-voltage line equipment…”
In the comments section of this incident, some netizens mentioned that besides high-voltage lines, there are plans to build a substation nearby.
Regarding high-voltage lines and substations, a widely circulated belief suggests that the radiation generated may harm the health of surrounding populations.
The report mentions that as people become increasingly concerned about issues related to health, in this incident, it is necessary to explain in detail to nearby residents such matters to dispel concerns and worries about safety. It should also be clarified why there have been changes in the relocation plan. If the main concern is due to lack of relevant knowledge, changes in the relocation plan will evidently magnify people’s anxieties.
Were opinions widely gathered before modifying the relocation plan? If the safety of the electrical facilities is not an issue, how can this be clearly communicated? These questions are directly related to the vital interests of local residents. Therefore, this sudden exit without explanation not only fails to resolve conflicts but also leaves behind new issues.
Such actions may easily be speculated as the deputy director “admitting fault” and avoiding confrontation.
Reportedly, on the afternoon of October 30, the Qujiang New District authorities initiated an investigation by the discipline inspection and supervision authorities in conjunction with relevant departments into the improper behavior of the staff during the public reception period.