China's capital issued its first ever "red alert" for pollution, the Beijing city government said on Monday, warning that the city would be shrouded in heavy smog from Tuesday until Thursday.
China's leadership has vowed to crack down on environmental degradation, including the air pollution that blankets many major cities, following decades of unbridlged economic growth.
In an online statement, the city government said all outdoor construction work must stop on red alert days, while also urging schools to close.
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.
(Photo: Real-time Air Quality Index as measured by the U.S. Embassy in Beijing )
Source: Real-time Air Quality Index for New Delhi as monitored by the U.S. Embassy | PM 2.5 are fine particles in the air with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less that reduce visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated. |
