The Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau released an emergency air pollution plan on April 1.

The plan calls for the city's government departments, Party organizations and public institutions to reduce their vehicle use by 30 percent on days when the air quality is severely polluted — when the air quality index readings are above 300.

It also calls for outdoor activities at kindergartens and the physical education classes at primary and middle schools to be suspended when the city's air quality index readings are between 201 to 300, a range rated as heavily polluted.

The plan also calls for coal-consuming power plants and other industries to reduce their operations, and for construction sites to take dust-control actions.

Fireworks will also be banned on days when the air is heavily or severely polluted.