Chinese lawmakers call for prudence in traffic controls for better air quality

China's lawmakers on Tuesday urged governments to be prudent in restricting traffic access to roads to improve air quality, warning against abuse of public powers.

Members of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, the top legislature, on Tuesday deliberated the second draft of the Law on the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution.

The first draft of the law said local governments can restrict or ban vehicles in specified areas and during specified times. The second draft added a clause that said restrictions should take advice from the public.

Lawmakers want to restrict powers to prevent the abuse against the interests of the people.

"It (the second draft) does not hold political power in a cage of rules, nor prevent the restriction of private rights by the public powers," said Li Andong, member of the NPC Standing Committee.

Li suggested that restrictions of vehicles should be approved by local people's congresses or the State Council, and the people should be compensated for taxes and dues they have paid.

In a bid to control smog, Chinese cities have begun to restrict use of vehicles. In Beijing, vehicles are restricted one out of five weekdays based upon the last numbers of their license plates.

An odd or even numbers ban is under consideration, according to officials of Beijing, triggering worries and complaints of the public.

Ren Maodong, another member of NPC Standing Committee, said when deliberating the draft that administrative means of restricting access of to roads and purchase of vehicles should be used as little as possible, instead, economic means can be employed, encouraging citizens to take public transport or ride bicycles.

Some lawmakers also suggested that vehicles' engines be turned off if they are stuck in traffic jams for more than three minutes. Endi