The Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau has made an
emergency plan to prevent heavy air pollution during Beijing's
winter, its vice director, Du Shaozhong, said in the capital on
Sunday.
Du said the plan was made after wide consultation with
government departments and companies and will be launched when
there emerges heavy air pollution for two consecutive days.
According to the plan, the government will organize special
street cleaning and sprinkling work and factories with large
pollutant emissions will be ordered to reduce them.
As of Sunday, Beijing has seen 190 days with blue skies this
year, eight days more than the same period last year.
But Du said, "From the trends of Beijing's past few winters, the
situation is not very promising."
He said air pollution in Beijing is growing increasingly complex
and the emergency plan is important to cope with it.
The official said his bureau will pay special attention to
curbing smoke pollution from burning coal for winter heating.
High quality coal with low sulphur and ash content will be
recommended for heating and the municipal government will also
invest in replacing coal with cleaner fuels in small furnaces.
(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2005)