Beijing's environmental protection department plans to establish a fund this year to encourage residents to help monitor air pollution.

The move was unveiled in a draft plan released on Sunday by the Municipal Bureau of Environmental Protection. Public feedback on the draft will be sought until March 10.

No amount has been set for the reward fund, said sources with the bureau's air pollution control department. The plan will be revised after public opinions are collected.

The reward fund will be a first, although rewards have in the past been offered for pollution information.

Last year, the city environmental protection bureau partnered with a local newspaper to offer 50 yuan (US$6) to 300 yuan (US$36) to people who reported air polluters. The information was published in the Beijing Youth Daily.

The reward initiative is only one of several approaches being taken by pollution control authorities.

Some local residents, deputies to the municipal people's congress, members of the municipal people's political consultative conference and experts will be invited by the environmental department to supervise the city's air condition.

The Beijing government has set a lofty air pollution goal for 2004.

This year, air quality should be good during at least 62 percent of days.

In 2003, there were 224 days of good air quality, or 61 percent of the total days.

"The task to fight against air pollution will be more difficult to achieve in 2004 as construction of Olympic venues will be in full swing," Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan said earlier.

Olympic organizers say 11 venue construction projects will begin this year. Workers broke ground on four others in 2003.

Dust from construction sites throughout the capital city has contributed to Beijing's primary air pollution offender: suspended particles.

The draft issued on Sunday requires all construction sites to take strict measures to control dust, especially in transportation.

Vehicles carrying construction materials must be dirt-free before leaving construction sites.

Meanwhile, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Parks will add 1,000 hectares of newly forested areas this year, said the draft.

The Beijing-based steel giant Shougang Group stopped production at two lime pits last year, which many claimed were heavy polluters.

Vice Mayor Lu Hao said late last year that the Shougang Group will transfer out of the capital city before 2012 because of environmental concerns. That plan was not confirmed yesterday by sources with the group.

(China Daily March 2, 2004)