LAHORE -  A new study analysing the causes of smog related to the agriculture sector with an aim to assist government institutions in the development of appropriate policies was released here on Thursday.

Agriculture Minister Malk Nauman Langrial was the chief guest on the launching ceremony. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) under its project R-SMOG (Remote Sensing for Spatio-Temporal Mapping of Smog) prepared the report upon the request of the Punjab government. It was said that report was a first of its kind evidence based geospatial research which will also contribute to findings on emissions and drivers of smog. The contribution of the agriculture sector to smog through the practice of crop residue burning is significant although it is only the third sector by air pollutant emissions. Sectoral emission inventory of Punjab shows that the major portion of total air pollutant emissions comes from the transport sector which holds 43 percent share, followed by 25 percent from industrial sector and 20 percent from agriculture. Satellite data of atmospheric pollutants are being widely used globally in the decision-making and environmental management activities of public, private sector and non-profit organizations. The research findings were reviewed by the FAO global technical experts on information with a geographical component, methods and tools and validated by a wide array of Pakistani experts and institutions.

Malik Nauman, on occasion, said the government under special directions of Punjab CM Usman Buzdar already took measures to mitigate effects of smog menace. Current regime policy, he said, was to provide hygienic environment to public and that’s why Prime Minister Imran Khan started tree plantation campaign to make environment better. He said Agriculture Department till now had planted more than one million trees for environmental safety.