In an effort to solve the country's smog problem, Chinese authorities said a total of 1,257 cases of illegal barbecuing have been penalized from January to March of this year.

The Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau said it had also filed 100 cases of illegal barbecuing against stall and restaurant owners who continue to defy the new rules.

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To control the proliferation of illegal barbecue stalls on the street of Beijing, the local government installed a total of 17,000 electric probes around the city.

After going after illegal barbecuing, Beijing's authorities will soon start focusing on smoke coming from restaurants, spa and bathhouses, construction sites, and open burning.

Authorities have even set up a hotline for residents to call to report illegal activities that can cause air pollution.

The capital was covered by heavy smog at the start of this year, and cooking emissions were blamed for 13 percent of the pollution.

Beijing has banned open-air barbecues, especially in the Fourth Ring Road and about 500 other spots in the city that are popular for barbecues.

The capital's urban management officers have started clearing up street barbecue stalls with plans to totally eliminate open-air barbecuing in three years.

China's smog problem has long taken a toll on the country's economy as investors shy away from heavily-polluted cities. Schools suspend classes when the pollution level goes up along with business establishments and offices that are forced to suspend operations during smoggy days.

Last year, China shut down several plants and industries that were producing heavy pollution and ordered companies to upgrade their plants to make them more environment-friendly.

The government also introduced various incentives to buyers of hybrid or green cars to get pollution-emitting vehicles off the road in order to clean up the country's air.