The State Council has reportedly signed off on a comprehensive strategy to guarantee cleaner air in Beijing during the Olympic Games.
The measures include strict controls on car emissions, dust and dirt, energy consumption and industrial emissions, which contribute heavily to the capital's air pollution.
Up to 40 percent of the city's air pollution comes from cars alone.
A professional panel organized by the Beijing municipal environmental bureau formulated the plan, then submitted it to China's environmental watchdog in July.
It is now before the State Council .
But officials from both the national and municipal environmental watchdogs yesterday declined to confirm or deny whether the State Council had given the new plan the green light.
Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the Beijing environmental bureau declined to comment but said an official announcement and analysis would be made soon.
According to the plan, work on all construction sites would be temporarily halted leading up to the Olympics to reduce dust and dirt particles in the air during the Games.
Production will either be reduced or suspended at steel-iron factories, chemical plants and construction material plants, and coal-powered plants will stop operations.
The city's estimated 3.5 million vehicles will be restricted from driving on the city's roads on certain days, including official business vehicles.
Zhang Jianyu, Beijing office head of US-based Environment Defense expressed "full confidence" that the capital could achieve better air quality next year.
（英语点津 Celene 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Bernice Chan is a foreign expert at China Daily Website. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Bernice has written for newspapers and magazines in Hong Kong and most recently worked as a broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, producing current affairs shows and documentaries.
