China has stepped up its efforts to protect the environment by amending the Environmental Protection Law, the first time the Chinese government has done so in 25 years.

Reports said China sought to amend the current environmental protection law Thursday by imposing tougher penalties for polluters, heeding the calls of the public who are enraged by the pollution problems.

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Extreme pollution in the air, water, land, underground water and even food supply  have been recorded at an all-time high in some parts of the country, prompting China to proposed amendments in the current Environmental Protection Law.

Waterways blocked by animal carcasses, toxic metal in its soil, underground water pollution, smog in the atmosphere and even contaminated food supply spell out the grim pollution picture in China.

The amendment was part of the sweeping revisions of the environmental protection law in the past 25 years. One of the provisions of the law provides that environmental protection is the top priority of the government.

The amendments were passed by China's lawmakers and will take effect on 1 January 2015. Authorities were hopeful that the amendments will help in strictly implementing the law.

Reports said the changes in the law will help Beijing in its recent declaration of an all-out war against pollution and scrap the decade-old growth provisions, which have destroyed and polluted China's air, sea water and land.

With the law in place, the Ministry of Environmental Protection will have more power and authority to implement the law, including handing stiffer penalties and taking stronger punitive action against polluters as well as shutting down and confiscating their assets.

Part of the amendments includes imposing an "ecological red line" in which some regions will be pollution-free from industries. Local officials will also be monitored on how they act on their pollution levels and will be assessed in meeting targets.

Reports said the measures would greatly help the Ministry of Environmental Protection in enforcing the law. Government offices can also close companies of the polluters and revoke their business license. Tipsters will be used by the government to track down polluters.