The capital city of one of China’s southern provinces has been forced to suspend heating at all government buildings as well as some hotels and shopping centres, according to local media, as Beijing diverts natural gas supplies to the country’s northern reaches in the face of a botched effort to cut down on coal use.

The Xiaoxiang Morning Post reported on Tuesday that Changsha, the capital city of Hunan province with a population of around 7m, had suspended provision of natural gas to offices at all levels of government from Monday to ensure sufficient supply was available for residential use.

The Post said supply for natural gas-powered taxis was also to be halted from noon on Tuesday and that “not a few hotels and shopping markets have also had their natural gas supplies suspended”. Other cities in Changhsa had also implemented similar measures, the paper said.