BEIJING -- A senior legislator on Monday stressed the effective implementation of the country's law on building a barrier-free living environment, which took effect on Sept 1.

The new law will contribute to the protection of rights and interests of the disabled and the elderly and ensure that the living environment becomes more accessible, said Zhang Qingwei, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, at a meeting held in Beijing.

Zhang called for more efforts to raise public awareness of the law, create an accessible environment in accordance with the law and improve supplementary regulations.