Chinese police arrested around 8,500 suspects in more than 4,500 environment-related criminal cases in 2014, as the country waged war against pollution, the leader of the Chinese environment authorities, Chen said. Environmental authorities handed more than 2,000 cases of suspected environmental law violations  to the police, more than double the figure for the past 10 years combined. Close to 3,400 companies and 3,700 construction sites were also found to have violated environment laws  and more than 3,100 workshops were closed following air quality inspections by Ministry of Environmental Protection ( MEP) officials and drones , Chen said. The announcement came as a result of long lasting heavy smog in Beijing and the neighboring Tianjin and  Hebei province for the better part of a week. The next step is to further optimize  the country's industry, and energy structure and cut back one missions  of air pollutants, Chen said. Authorities will go on cutting back on outdated factories this year, shut down l,000 small coal mines, improve the quality of coal on the market, guarantee stable supply of natural gas, and promote the use of clean energy and energy-saving buildings. Chen said efforts will also be made to improve the evaluation of governments' carrying out of air pollution control measures, deepen regional  cooperation, step up technological research and sharpen laws and regulations in the field, to make polluters nay the "unaffordable price". Chen said environmental authorities would "bring new tools introduced in the law into full play, conduct more secret inspections and seek heavier punishment for companies guilty of illegal emissions and those which deliberately change pollution data. " Government officials who overlook their duties or abuse their power will be examined in line with law, he said. More measures will be taken except   _              .
further optimizing the country's industrial and energy structure       . cutting back on emissions of air pollutants and outdated factories improving the quality of coal and natural gas on the market promoting the use of clean energy and energy-saving buildings