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Officials declare Games a success

Sanlu Group

Beijing officials declared the Paralympics a success yesterday.

They also said tight security checks and traffic controls would be in place today for the Games' closing ceremony.

But city traffic authorities ruled out an extension of traffic restrictions, despite their popularity with environmentalists.

'The Beijing Paralympics received wide praise and applause from both within the country and abroad, and Beijing has fulfilled its promise to the world [to host an excellent Paralympics],' spokesman Liu Zhi said.

'The air quality has been good since the start of the Paralympics, and major pollutants in the air have dropped almost 60 per cent [compared with the same time last year].'

Mr Liu said all food and drinking water supplied for the event had been monitored along the supply pipeline and no contamination had been reported in the past two weeks.

The official's remarks on food safety came as the Sanlu Group and other big mainland dairy companies were being scrutinised over contamination of infant milk formula.

Beijing Municipal Communications Committee deputy director Zhou Zhengyu was adamant that the odd-even-day driving ban would not continue after it expired on Saturday and that his committee would take time to consider whether similar measures would be adopted in the future. 'We understand there are many supporters of such measures in the city,' he said.

Lu Zhengming , vice-president of Beijing Disabled Persons' Federation, said the ending of the Paralympics would not diminish the greater awareness of and understanding for disabled people.

'Through the Games we have seen great improvement in society in terms of better understanding, respect and care about disabled groups,' Mr Lu said.

Bo Shaoye , from the China Disabled Persons' Federation, said 'relevant departments' were campaigning to allow disabled people to get driving licences for specially designed and equipped vehicles.

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