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Beijing choked by smoke from burning stalks

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-06-14 11:38

A southerly wind carrying smoke from burning stalks from places to the south cast a pale over the capital on Wednesday, the environment watchdog said.

A satellite map showed smoke from Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces was blown north causing particulate matter to reach 850 milligrams per cubic meter in the city.

"Beijing's high temperatures and sweltering weather these days is bad for the spread of pollutants, and the situation is worsened by the smoke from farmers burning straw," said Du Shaozhong, vice director of Beijing Environmental Protection Administration.

At noon on Tuesday the pollution index reached 168 by 12 a.m. which is considered "slightly polluted". By Wednesday afternoon the index jumped to 200 indicating air quality is "poor", according the administration.

Beijing issued a ban on burning straw in 2000. An inspection by the environment watchdog found no recent violations of the regulation in the city . However, burning straw is still common practice in rural areas of other provinces.