Other measures for the capital to become green(2)

Beijing Daily reported that the captial will build 200 km of green areas along the Second Ring Road and East Forestry Park as a pilot project this year.

Costing 3 billion yuan, the project will create a network of areas that will connect more than 200 parks, scenic spots and historical sites, according to the Beijing Development and Reform Commission.

The paths will offer more space for pedestrians and cyclists, who often complain about lanes being occupied by vehicles during rush hour and traffic jams.

According to the government, 5.35 million vehicles are registered in Beijing and vehicle exhaust is among the top sources of air pollution.

The construction of other green areas will include parks and wetlands.

This year, the city plans to plant more trees and the forest coverage rate will reach 40 percent at the end of this year, Beijing Bureau of Landscape and Forestry pledged.

At the end of this year, 15 more city parks will be constructed.

According to the five-year Clean Air Action Plan, Beijing will construct 10 wetland parks and 10 wetland protection zones at the end of 2017.

The rate of woodland coverage will reach more than 60 percent, the plan states.

Green workshops

More than 2,000 polluting workshops have been closed in the biggest industrial district in the capital's suburbs.

To weed out outdated capacity, more than 2,000 polluting small businesses have been scrapped in Fangshan district over the past few years, including coalmines, clay brick factories, chemical plants, paper mills and cement plants.

"Pollution from the exploitation and transportation of coal mines used to be one of the major pollutants in the district, and the shutdown of the small-sized coalmines will greatly improve air quality," said Wang Kaicheng at the district environmental protection bureau.

The district is also focusing on the upgrade of the industrial structure, aiming to introduce more high-end and advanced manufacturing industries, he said.

The move is in accordance with the Clean Air Action Plan, which aims to reduce pollutant intensity in the city while making Beijing a more livable place.

According to the action plan, the annual concentration of particulate matter has decreased by more than 30 percent, around 65 micrograms per cubic meter.