All construction sites in Beijing will cease work (including excavation and concrete placement); and will have completed site greening and coverage by July 20, 2008. Projects that are unable to complete excavation, foundation pit protection and flood prevention work before this date, will not be approved, according to an announcement by the municipal government on April 14, 2008.
Du Shaozhong, deputy head of the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, said the protection measures are a joint effort by the State General Administration of Environment Protection and the Beijing Municipal Government, with the support of experts from Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Peking University and Tsinghua University.
The following are among the protective measures to be implemented during the Games:
-- The management of motor vehicles and the promotion of more environment-friendly forms of transportation
-- A halt in the work at all construction sites in Beijing on or before July 20, as well as in chemical plants and mining operations around Beijing
-- A ban on machinery that does not meet emission standards, such as coal-burning broilers
-- A 30 percent reduction in emissions from 19 enterprises notorious for heavy pollution around Beijing
-- Strict control on gas, oil, paint and solvent distribution and use
The press release also called on companies, communities and citizens within Olympic host cities to do their part in ensuring high air-quality not only during the Olympic Games, but also after the Games conclude.
"By making environmental protection and improvement everyone's responsibility, and establishing sustainable production methods and environment-friendly living practices," said Du, "we are supporting the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. We are spreading Olympic concepts and contributing to the realization of a Green Olympics and a harmonious society."
Last month, Beijing announced plans to take as many as half of its 3.3 million vehicles off its roads during the period of the Games as way to reduce emissions.
By People's Daily Online
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