Beijing launches toughest anti-pollution campaign in autumn, winter

The Beijing housing commission on Friday began enforcing its strictest-ever anti-smog campaign in autumn and winter.

The regulation of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development states that during the upcoming heating quarter from November 15, 2017 to March 15, 2018, most earthwork and rockwork, including road and drainage construction, as well as demolitions will be shut down, local Morning Post reported on Sunday.

The campaign covers the city’s six core districts, 10 new districts and the Yizhuang Economic and Technological Development Zone.

The regulation also said that the projects can only be resumed with municipal government approval.

Any real estate development company that refuses to stop its construction will be forbidden from starting new projects or will be disqualified as contractors in the local market within six months.

In addition, if three or more projects of a company violate dust rules, all of the company’s projects will be suspended for 30 days. The application process for its new projects will be halted, and the company will be slapped with a three-month suspension in the Beijing real estate market.

The regulation encourages citizens to report unregulated constructions to local housing and urban-rural development commissions.

Smog has become a frequent occurrence in northern China in recent years, particularly in winters, due to the high concentration of factories, excessive coal use, climate change and the rapid growth of private vehicles, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Beijing is one of the worst-hit cities by smog.

China vowed to impose tougher controls on air pollution in the capital and nearby regions this year to combat heavy smog, closing illegal plants and slashing steel production, Zhao Yingmin, vice minister of environmental protection said in February, according to the Xinhua report.

To reduce smog in winter, Beijing, Tianjin and 26 cities in the surrounding provinces must attain their annual goals of cutting steel overcapacity ahead of schedule.

These cities should shut down all excessively polluting factories by the end of October and reduce their total amount of coal consumption this year.