The local government of Shangqiu in Hunan Province cracked down on local stalls and restaurants causing smog. Residents were upset over the move.
After a meeting with local leaders and a mandate from the Ministry of Environmental Protection on April 8, the local government shut down food establishments which did not comply with environmental regulations.
The regulation imposed a ban on burning straw, controlling dust and removing smoke belching vehicles which did not meet the emission standards.
Particles harmful to human health was found in the city's air concentration of PM2.5. After the crackdown, the concentration was down by 19.6 percent month-on-month.
An official, who requested to be unnamed, said, There has been a significant improvement in the environmental quality" after a citywide campaign and "the blue skies with white clouds, unseen for a long time, are now back."
In spite of the dramatic change in air quality in the area, residents are complaining that the city lost the bustling atmosphere it once had. Other residents are finding a hard time buying food.
Zhang Han Xin, a local resident, said, "The street used to be busy and lively, but now it looks very quiet. The blot left by the barbecue stalls is still there. I don't know how long it will be like this."
The city officials said that the stalls and restaurants can resume operation after complying with government rules. Some of the restaurants were permitted to operate but will have to be inspected again.
There have been many attempts by the government to address the issue of air pollution in China. Most of the air contamination are caused by coal-powered industries and cars.
Experts are alarmed by the toxicity levels in the air and expressed concern over the danger of air pollution.
Dr. Jim Zhang, a professor of global environmental health at Duke University said, "It's very hard to get data to show whether the pollution is going to have a long-lasting effect, like cancer, but there is a reason to believe that because the pollution soup contains chemicals which can induce cancer."