100 cases of air pollution fined in March

Law enforcement authorities punished 100 violators of Beijing's Air Pollution Prevention Regulation last month, after the regulation took effect on March 1, People's Daily reported on Tuesday.

According to law enforcement officers from the capital environmental protection bureau, it issued punishments for 100 violations, with total fines of more than 3 million yuan ($482,100).

Another 64 cases are still being processed, the report said.

The city's legislature passed the high-profile Air Pollution Prevention Regulation at the end of its people's congress plenary session in January.

Officials said it means violators will be more strictly regulated as one-third of the new statute deals with liability and punishments.

As of April 10, 93 cases of air pollution had been punished in April, the report said.