The Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau has made an emergency plan to prevent heavy air pollution during Beijing's winter, its vice director, Du Shaozhong, said in the capital on Sunday.

Du said the plan was made after wide consultation with government departments and companies and will be launched when there emerges heavy air pollution for two consecutive days.

According to the plan, the government will organize special street cleaning and sprinkling work and factories with large pollutant emissions will be ordered to reduce them.

As of Sunday, Beijing has seen 190 days with blue skies this year, eight days more than the same period last year.

But Du said, "From the trends of Beijing's past few winters, the situation is not very promising."

He said air pollution in Beijing is growing increasingly complex and the emergency plan is important to cope with it.

The official said his bureau will pay special attention to curbing smoke pollution from burning coal for winter heating.

High quality coal with low sulphur and ash content will be recommended for heating and the municipal government will also invest in replacing coal with cleaner fuels in small furnaces.

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2005)