BEIJING - The Ministry of Environmental Protection has cautioned Beijing and its surrounding regions on heavy air pollution as winter approaches and people are more likely to fire up big-polluting coal-fired heaters.

Meanwhile, senior officials in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei will be held accountable if heavy pollution continues for three consecutive days as a result of their weak performances in countering the problem, the ministry told Xinhua on Thursday.

It cited instructions given at a recent meeting on the Beijing- Tianjin-Hebei region's responses to winter air pollution.

Local authorities have been ordered to take quick, effective precautionary measures and make all-out efforts in the "tough battle" of air pollution control through measures including production halts, production restrictions and emissions reductions at some entities.

Ding Xiangyang, deputy secretary-general of the State Council, or the cabinet, told the meeting that responses to the likelihood of heavy air pollution in winter must bring about "actual results" and help the public gain perspective on bringing air pollution under control.