A curb must be put on air pollution as has long been demanded in Beijing. As a result of years' effort made, Beijing's air quality has been much improved. Beijing has successfully accomplished its third and fourth stage work in bringing a curb on air pollution and has by now moved on the fifth stage work for a clean air in the capital.
By November 26, Beijing has as many as 309 days with an air quality above third level, or 84% of the whole year. Another 165 days claim a quality above or equal the second level, accounting for 45% of total.
Beijing has met ahead of schedule the target set by the State Council on city environment pollution control by 2000, and constructions of a total of 37 environment projects have been underway or will be kicked off soon, with an investment amount of RMB$ 46.6bn yuan planned.
The Beijing municipal people's government has taken practical and effective measures to curb air pollution. Of the 5013 industrial polluters in Beijing, 99.5% have through reform met the emission standards, while another 25 enterprises failing to meet the standards have been closed in accordance with law.
Sky Becomes Clearer
Beijing's effort to clean up its air has achieved obvious results as the average quality of air has been good or excellent for about half of the days so far this year.
Zhao Yixin, director of the Municipal Environmental Protection Administration of Beijing, told a press conference on November 25 that by October 20 this year, 142 days had reported good or excellent air, 53 days more than in the same period of last year.
(People’s Daily 11/28/2000)
