Beijing promised harsher punishments on Thursday for those responsible for noxious air pollution, as residents breathed a sigh of relief after the thick smog that had shrouded the city for a week dissipated.

The capital will outline stricter and more detailed punishments for violators of the Beijing Air Pollution Prevention Regulation, which will come into effect on March 1.

The regulation will give more authority to environmental departments, said Yan Xiangyang, deputy head of the environmental monitoring team of the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau.