BEIJING’S acting Mayor Cai Qi unveiled a new environmental police squad at the weekend to root out illegal burning in the city.
The announcement marked the latest official response to widespread public anger over persistent problems with smog.
Mr Cai told a public meeting that the force would target open-air barbecues, rubbish incineration and the burning of wood and other biomass.
He detailed several other measures, including a target of cutting the use of coal by 30 per cent in 2017 and shutting down 500 higher-polluting factories and upgrading 2,500 more.
About 300,000 high-pollution vehicles will also be restricted from entering the capital starting next month, he said.
Beijing and dozens of other Chinese cities spend many winter days under a thick, grey haze, with air pollution levels that routinely exceed World Health Organisation guidelines.
More than 20 cities were on “red alert” last week, the highest warning level in China’s four-tiered system, while Beijing was on the second-highest “orange alert.”
A red alert can lead to schools and businesses closuring, flight cancellations and shutdowns of highways to keep cars off the roads.
During a red alert in Beijing last month, authorities banned construction crews from spray-painting and even seized charcoal grills from some restaurants, but enforcement remains an issue.
China’s Environmental Ministry said during last week’s red alert that its inspection teams had found companies resuming production despite a government ban.
Mr Cai blamed polluting activities such as burning rubbish or wood on “lax supervision and weak law enforcement.”
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