Beijing breathing easier as air improves ( 2003-07-17 09:26) (China Daily)
The first half of the year has been the best period for air quality in
Beijing in recent years, thanks to efforts on prevention and treatment of air
pollution by authorities, according to director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau
of Environmental Protection Shi Hanmin.
Over 60 per cent of the days in the first six months of this year registered
good air quality, 27 days more than the same period last year, Shi reported to
the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress (BMPC)
yesterday.
As such, the goal set earlier this year by the local government has been
achieved.
As a result of the better air quality, Beijing did not witness sandstorms in
the spring. And there were only two days when city residents suffered from
serious air pollution, he said.
"The achievements come from various measures to control air pollution," the
director announced at yesterday's conference.
The annual investment on environmental protection exceeded 10 billion yuan
(US$1.2 billion), over 4 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) for the
same period.
The investment, which was fixed by the municipal implementing method of the
Air Pollution Control Act, topped all of the municipalities, provinces and
autonomous regions around China, according to Shi.
Meanwhile, these achievements in fighting pollution were also attributed to
strict control of coal burning, automobile emissions, and gas waste pollution.
However, Zhang Yi, director of the urban construction and environmental
protection working committee under the BMPC pointed out yesterday that more work
needs to be done.
"The concentration level of total suspended particles is 373 microgrammes per
cubic metres, which is 80 per cent higher than the national standard," Zhang
said.
The heavy industry factories, high coal consumption and dust pollution caused
by construction sites in Beijing are the most direct reasons for the high level
of suspended particles, which have become the main pollutants in the capital.
As for problems put forward by top legislators, Shi vowed to continue to
reduce the pollution caused by those factors.
