The Ningbo experience

Historic Ningbo, the second-largest city in Zhejiang province and a well-known destination for tourists, fell under a blanket of smog in late December. The smog covered the city for approximately two weeks as the PM2.5 index soared to 430 micrograms per cubic meter, a record high and officially designated "heavily polluted". The poor air quality persisted into January and the city has seen unhealthy levels of air pollution every day since. As a result, smog became a major issue at the city's recently ended two sessions.

Ningbo People's Congress deputy Wang Jianrong, director of the Ningbo Productivity Promotion Center, recalled the situation a decade ago when residents reveled in blue skies and white clouds. Wang said a shirt collar would stay clean even after several days wear and he only needed to polish his shoes once a week.

Chen Jidong, also a Ningbo deputy and chairman of Ningbo Construction Group, suggested a wide range of measures to combat air pollution. He urged the environmental protection department to impose stricter punishments on polluters and to tackle the problem through emissions controls on industrial exhausts. Any businesses that fail to meet these demands should be ordered to suspend production or make financial restitution, Chen said.