Capital closely monitoring compliance

The hazy capital has reinforced response measures and inspections after it issued the highest-level air pollution alert for the first time because of the heavy smog.

The red alert requires the suspension of kindergarten and primary and secondary schools and construction work, and it limits the use of cars, affecting more than half of the city's private vehicles through an odd-even license plate system.

Government bodies including Beijing's Environmental Protection Bureau, the Commission of Transport and the Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development sent out inspection teams. The teams found that most schools and construction sites had followed the order, although one workshop in Dongcheng district was forced to shut down because it hadn't been approved by environmental authorities.