Visitors wear masks at Tiananmen Square as heavy air pollution shrouds Beijing.
BEIJING: An online documentary on China’s notorious smog has become a viral sensation with more than 155 million views just one day after it was released, state media said on Monday (Mar 2).
Under the Dome, a documentary privately produced by Chai Jing – a former anchor with state broadcaster China Central Television – detailed causes of atmospheric pollution in the country. They included slack government supervision and lenient penalties for polluters.
The 103-minute film was first uploaded on domestic websites on Saturday and had been viewed more than 155 million times a day later, the Global Times said. It included interviews with officials from London and Los Angeles, two formerly heavily polluted cities, on how they have sought to control the issue.
Chai said the film was her “personal battle” against air pollution after her daughter was born with a benign tumour, the Global Times said.
China’s cities are often hit by heavy pollution, blamed on coal-burning by power stations and industry, as well as vehicle use, and it has become a major source of popular discontent with the ruling Communist Party, leading the government to declare a “war on pollution” and vow to reduce the proportion of energy derived from fossil fuels.
Retired senior officials have acknowledged that pollution may kill as many as half a million people a year. The documentary set off a firestorm of criticism over the government’s failure to act on the issue in a timely and effective manner………..
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Photo: AFP/Files