THE city government is tempting taxi operators with subsidies to combat air pollution in the city, authorities said yesterday. Taxi companies will be given a subsidy of 1,300 yuan (US$209.68) for every taxi that is fitted with vehicle exhaust purifying facilities of a listed maker and type. But two companies Shanghai Daily spoke to said they had not heard of any incentives on offer, while insisting that the taxis were already fitted with the filters.

The subsidies are for taxis that are registered in the city between January, 2010 and April last year and have been on the road for at least one year.

The purifying facilities, namely three-way catalytic converters, must be of certain type and from listed producers approved by the environmental protection authorities. The application for subsidy should be made by taxi operators and submitted to the city’s traffic management authorities before September 30, according to a notification released by the city’s traffic authority yesterday.