3-stage plan to ensure clear skies

A new package of measures, ranging from limiting the dust from construction sites to rainmaking, is to be introduced soon to help ensure blue skies at next year's Olympics.

The plan, designed by various environment bureaux, experts and the Beijing municipal government, is expected to be released "soon", once it is approved by the State Council, Fan Yuansheng, director of the pollution control bureau under the State Environment Protection Administration, said.

Fan said the plan will divide the pre-Games preparation process into three stages with different tasks assigned to each period - pre-February 2008, February to May, and June to August.