Beijing in haze again, mayor stressed out

This photo released on March 24 shows Beijing is shrouded by smog. (Photo source/people.cn)

(ECNS)-- Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun said on Monday that he felt stressed out over the return of the haze.

"I pay close attention to the weather every day," he said on China Development Forum. "My mood swings with the weather and I am stressed out with this hazy air."

According to Beijing's environmental protection and monitoring center, readings of PM2.5 particles have been on the rise since Sunday night.

Severe haze is forecast to linger through the week, as no wind is in sight to disperse it.

Before that, Beijing enjoyed several days of reduced smog.

The government has put cutting PM2.5 density at the top of the agenda, striving to reduce hazy days.

Wang talked about four ways to answer Beijing's burning questions. Apart from controlling air pollution and achieving collaborative development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, he also proposed adjusting industrial layout and promoting public transportation to tackle overpopulation and traffic jam.

[Read more: China mulling Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei FTZ]

PM2.5 are particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns, and have been a major contributor to China's smog problem.

The mayor also said if the air is cleaned up, people in Beijing could live longer. The average lifespan is now 81.35 years.