A southerly wind carrying smoke from burning stalks cast a pale over the capital on Tuesday and Wednesday, the environment watchdog said.

 

A satellite map showed smoke from Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces was blown north causing particulate matter to reach 850 milligrams per cubic meter in the city.

 

"Beijing's high temperatures and sweltering weather these days is bad for the spread of pollutants, and the situation is worsened by the smoke from farmers burning straw," said Du Shaozhong, vice director of Beijing Environmental Protection Administration.

 

At noon on Tuesday the pollution index reached 168 by 12 am which is considered "slightly polluted". By Wednesday afternoon the index jumped to 200 indicating air quality is "poor", according the administration.

 

Beijing issued a ban on burning straw in 2000. An inspection by the environment watchdog found no recent violations of the regulation in the city. However, burning straw is still common practice in rural areas of other provinces.

 

In neighboring Hebei Province, environment watchdog identified farmer-set fires in 53 locations on Monday and at 80 locations on Tuesday.

 

The provincial watchdog has sent an inspection team to stop farmers from burning the chaff.

 

The government has issued a circular requiring proper treatment of straw saying it should be recycled not burned.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 14, 2007)