7 March 2015 Last updated at 04:39 ET
A woman wears a mask during a day of heavy pollution in Beijing, 7 March
There is widespread public concern in China over air pollution
The authorities in China have a removed from websites a popular documentary which highlights the country’s severe pollution problem.
Under the Dome explains the social and health costs of pollution, and was watched by more than 100 million people online, sparking debates.
It was removed just two days after Premier Li Keqiang called pollution a blight on people’s lives.
Mr Li had promised to fight it with all the government’s might.
The environmental issue has dominated the current session of the Chinese parliament, the National People’s Congress, in Beijing.
The newly appointed environmental protection minister, Chen Jining, had praised Under The Dome, telling reporters it should “encourage efforts by individuals to improve air quality”.
But the huge popularity of an impassioned, independent film on the issue appears to have made the communist authorities nervous, correspondents say.
The film that took China by storm
Standing in front of an audience in a simple white shirt and jeans, Ms Chai speaks plainly throughout the 103-minute video, which features a year-long investigation of China’s noxious pollution problem.
At times, the documentary is deeply personal. Near the start of the documentary, Ms Chai interviews a six-year-old living in the coal-mining province of Shanxi, one of the most polluted places on earth.
“Have you ever seen stars?” Ms Chai asks. “No,” replies the girl.
“Have you ever seen a blue sky?” “I have seen a sky that’s a little bit blue,” the girl tells her.
“But have you ever seen white clouds?” “No,” the girl sighs.
The film watched more than 100 million times
Under the Dome, a year-long investigation of pollution in China, had garnered more than 100 million views in less than 48 hours.
Made by renowned investigative journalist Chai Jing and funded with her own money, the film sharply criticises the Chinese state’s lax environmental laws.
As of Saturday, the film was no longer available on popular Chinese mainland video sites.
