April 25, 2024 20:29 (IST)
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Beijing to give up coal usage by 2020 to improve air quality
Beijing, Jan 13 (IBNS) China plans to end coal-usage in Beijing and its neighbouring areas by 2020 to reduce air pollution and improve air quality.
According to Beijing's Environmental Protection Bureau, reducing air pollution in northern China, especially winter smog from the burning of coal, is a mission for 2016.
Beijing will start replacing coal-fired heating stoves with those powered by electricity or gas in 400 villages in 2016. By 2017, the campaign will move to the districts of Chaoyang, Haidian, Fengtai and Shijingshan, said Guo Zihua, a municipal rural development official.
Beijing's down-town districts of Dongcheng and Xicheng eliminated coal burning in 2015, officials said.
Beijing is part of one of China’s most heavily polluted regions. Its main sources of pollution are vehicles, coal-burning, industry and dust from construction sites.
Beijing and other places in northern China had to issue several smog alerts in November and December, when peak readings were abnormally higher than the national safety level.
In December, Beijing had to issue a red alert as the city of over 22 million people was enveloped by heavily polluted smog. Schools had to be closed and traffic restricted with the odd-even number plates system.
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