Banning buses insensible

After years of dealing with smog, it has become an extensive consensus in most of China's regions stricken with air pollution that reducing the use of government and private vehicles and encouraging the use of public transport and other greener means of travel are effective ways to curb haze.

However, a recent move by the local authorities in Nanhe county, in Xingtai, Hebei province, reveals the lack of such basic common sense among some decision-makers.

To reduce air pollution, the local government recently decided not to impose any restrictions on government vehicles and private cars, while restricting the use of public buses in downtown areas. This restriction has caused great inconvenience to local residents without a car and thus fueled a sense of grievance among them.