Noise pollution in the Chinese capital is the number one gripe of Beijing residents with traffic pulsating along the city arteries day and night and construction projects mushrooming, a recent survey said.

 

Questioned about air quality, drinking water, scenery, sanitation and garbage disposal, Beijingers put the city's "sound environment" last on the list.

 

Even though two thirds of the respondents believe that Beijing's environment is improving, most believe the government has not done enough to control noise pollution.

 

Asked to rank government efforts to improve the urban environment, the respondents gave city bosses a 49/100 fail mark for noise control but 65/100 for their efforts to improve air quality.

 

Efforts on water quality and garbage took up the middle positions.

 

About 87 percent of the 1,520 interviewees said noise control should be a priority for the government in fronting up to environmental problems.

 

The survey, titled 2006 Beijing Public Environmental Awareness Report, said that Beijingers were generally satisfied with their living environment and most happy with the quality of drinking water in the city.

 

It also showed that Beijing residents are becoming more aware of environmental protection with 82 percent of the interviewees saying they had taken part in environmental protection activities.

 

The survey was jointly conducted by the Beijing municipal center on environmental education and the Beijing institute of social psychology, according to reports.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2007)