Heavy-polluting industries in Beijing will be told to scale back
production during the Olympics next August, while some firms will
be completely shut down, Vice-Mayor Ji Lin said yesterday.
"Some plants will be asked to adjust their working hours and
production processes. Some plants will reduce production, while
some will have to stop work altogether," Ji said.
"During the Games, we will place more restrictions on the
Shougang Group to further reduce pollution."
Shougang, a major steel maker in the capital, is on schedule to
relocate to Tangshan, a neighboring industrial hub. A coking and
chemical factory was closed last July, reducing the amount of coal
burnt in the capital by 3 million tons. The move also cut the
amount of waste dust released by 7,300 tons.
More than 190 chemical plants have been shut as a result of
anti-pollution schemes related to the Games.
On the subject of traffic control, the senior official cited the
1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. The host city coaxed some 2.5 million
vehicles off the road to ease traffic flows.
"We will consider the experiences of previous Games, while
taking Beijing's situation into account," he said.
Ji said Beijing would also turn away heavily loaded trucks and
ban any gas stations that failed to install anti-leak devices
before June next year.
(China Daily June 1, 2007)