Beijing has set up a surveillance network to monitor coarse particles in 1,020 sites, to help reduce 6.5 tonnes of dust per sq km every month this year, local authorities said Tuesday.

With the surveillance network, the environmental protection bureau can monitor dust density in the city around the clock, according to Beijing municipal ecological environment bureau.

Authorities will also rank regularly villages and towns based on their air quality.

Dust in Beijing is mainly from construction, road and bare land.

Beijing has been making efforts to curb air pollution, including tightening supervision on car emissions, encouraging new energy vehicles and shutting down polluting companies.

Last year, the city reduced an average of 7.5 tonnes of dust per sq km every month.