
Zhengzhou is enveloped in smog on March 15, 2015. [Xinhua]
Local authorities will be fined up to 500,000 yuan (US$77,200) if the PM2.5 concentrations in their administrative regions are a single microgram higher than permitted, according to an environment protection regulation newly adopted by Zhengzhou Municipal Government in central China's Henan Province.
To improve its air quality, Zhengzhou has set specific targets for this year—concentrations of the PM2.5 and PM10 shall not surpass 150 and 79 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively.
Authorities at the county level will be awarded 500,000 yuan (US$77,200) if their pollutant concentrations are one microgram lower than the newly adopted standards. Otherwise, they will be fined the same amount of money.
Any county that reports substandard air quality for three consecutive months will be ordered to shut down all sources of pollution.
Zhengzhou has been plagued by air pollution for a long time. Every month last year, with the exception of November, the city was ranked as one of the ten most polluted cities in China. It was still on the "black" list in the first two months of 2016.
The evolution of J-10 fighter
Top 10 Asian beauties in 2016
Train rides through blossoms
HD pictures of battleships of PLA Navy
East Sea Fleet conducts combat drills
Sophie Marceau goes square dancing in Guangzhou
Police officers learn Wing Chun in E. China
Charming models compete in super model contest in Beijing
Beauties wearing Tang dynasty costume pick tea leaves
Top 20 hottest women in the world in 2014
Top 10 hardest languages to learn
10 Chinese female stars with most beautiful faces
China’s Top 10 Unique Bridges, Highways and Roads
My tiger mother controlled me with Chinese food
Shanghai court finds against maternity tourism company
Pranks under fire after video of celeb wedding shows actress harassment
For foreigners, Chinese talent and reality shows offer a chance to hit it bigDay|Week