Beijing must keep the sky clear for at least 21 days every month
to ensure the improvement of its air quality, said Ji Lin, a
Beijing vice mayor, Beijing Evening News reported
yesterday.
The city experienced medium to heavy air pollution levels for 11
days during the first quarter of the year, two day more than last
year's total.
"The situation is very serious," Ji said. It's a challenge to
meet the target of this years air quality controls.
Sand, road construction and pollutant discharges are the main
reasons for the worsened air quality. More than 50 percent of
construction sites don't reach environmentally friendly
standards.
A survey by the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau said
that a big part of the pollutants came from construction sites,
which produce large levels of dust and sand.
The bureau plans to control pollutant emissions from vehicles,
construction sites and roads by issuing more frequent checks. Any
construction site that can't reach the standard will be shut
down.
It will also launch anticipatory projects to decrease the amount
of construction sand storms and will be notifying residents prior
to onset projects.
Beijing needs to build stadiums and gymnasiums to prepare for
the 2008 Olympic Games, so the increasing
construction sites reduce the air condition. However, it has to
hold a "green" Olympic Games, which demands it to keep the sky
clear the air clean.
(Shanghai Daily April 6, 2006)