Northeast China Province to Curb Air PollutionNortheast China's Jilin province has decided to spend 2.8 billion yuan (US$330 million) to control air pollution in the following ten years.The budget will cover the construction of centralized heating system for living quarters and the construction of pipelines for coal gas, liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas. Located in the northeastern part of the country, Jilin's heat supply system is mainly based on burning coal, which causes smoke and dust to get in the air. Experts noted that in some regions of the province the pollution situation is worsening and the total volume of pollutants discharged from automobiles, households and enterprises is on the rise. The fiscal expenditure will help renovate the heating supply system, promote pollution-free fuel, and tree planting, as indicated by a government plan. According to the plan, 85 percent of the heating supply will rely on gas instead of coal by the end of 2010. The green coverage rate for the urban area of the province is likely to reach 35 percent by then. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |