Beijing: China's capital city of Beijing today issued a red alert, warning that the city which is home to over 22 million people, faced its worst ever smog. This is the first instance that the capital has issued the red alert. The smog is expected to last from 7:00 AM Tuesday to 12:00 PM Thursday.
According to the state-run news agency Xinhua, Beijing has upgraded its alert for air pollution from orange to red, the most serious level.
The move has prompted authorities to shut down schools and exercise restrictions on vehicular traffic as well as factories.
All schools are advised to remain shut during a red alert. Outdoor operations of construction sites are also banned and some industrial plants are also directed to either limit or halt production totally. Traffic restrictions on certain types of vehicles have also been imposed in the city.
The red alert notice follows days of heavy smog seen last week.
Car use will be limited as cars are allowed on the roads on alternating days depending on the odd or even numbers of their license plates. Almost 30 per cent of all government cars will also be prevented from plying on Beijing roads on an odd and even basis, the statement said.
In another first, Chinese authorities are also considering an imposition of congestion tax to ease traffic, state television CCTV reported. Automobile emissions account for over 30 per cent of the air pollution in China.
Heavy air pollution is expected to linger until Thursday, before a cold front arrives and disperses it Thursday afternoon, the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Centre said.
The air quality alert of the US Embassy in Beijing showed a “very unhealthy” reading of PMI 2.5. Hovering above 256, the air could cause serious health problems for patients with heart and lung diseases and also result in an increase in respiratory effects in the general population.
Beijing has upgraded its alert for air pollution from orange to red, the most serious level, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.
The move has prompted authorities to shut down schools and exercise restrictions on vehicular traffic as well as factories.
According to the city's emergency management headquarters, during a red alert, kindergartens, primary and high schools are advised to suspend classes, outdoor operations of construction sites are banned and some industrial plants are required to limit or stop production.
The notice, issued after days of heavy smog last week, also places traffic restrictions on certain types of vehicles in the city of 22.5 million people.
Car use will be limited as cars are allowed on the roads on alternating days depending on the odd or even numbers of their license plates. In addition, 30 per cent of government cars will be banned from streets on an odd and even basis, the statement said.
State television CCTV reported that Beijing authorities for the first time are considering to impose a congestion tax to ease traffic. At present over 30 per cent of the air pollution comes out of automobile emission.
According to the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Centre, heavy air pollution will linger until Thursday. It is expected to disperse Thursday afternoon as a cold front arrives.
The air quality alert of the US Embassy in Beijing showed “very unhealthy” reading of PMI 2.5 (the tiny particles in the air that reduce visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are high) at above 256 which could cause significant health problems for patients with heart and lung diseases and increase in respiratory effects among general population.
