Beijing’s lawmakers have strengthened the city's efforts to fight air pollution, by removing the limits for fines on repeat polluters and giving citizens the right to seek compensation for pollution damage.

New rules to increase the fines for polluters - to levels that would exceed the potential profits of polluting - have been added to the revised draft of the Beijing Air Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations.

The fine targets those using motor vehicles exceeding emissions limits, those who barbecue in prohibited areas, improper use of high-emission mobile heavy machinery, and those who fail to have their vehicles periodically checked for emissions.

The tougher control measures are significant as the emissions from vehicles are a prime contributor to air pollution in the capital with a very small contribution from the industry, Zhang Kai, a representative in charge of climate and energy issues at Greenpeace, told the Global Times.