By Ajmal Khan Yusafzai
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change, Malik Amin Aslam, on Sunday said tackling smog-forming pollutant sources was the most effective way to quell the growing challenge of smog that causes serious health hazards and environmental hazards during winter months.
Talking to media over growing challenge of Smog in Pakistan, he pointed out that burning of rice crop residue, burning of dirty fuel sources in traditional brick kilns, solid waste burning, existing aging urban transport system, factories and are the typical causative factors of smog, which starts blanketing country’s various parts, particularly those in northern Punjab provinces, from November and continues till March, said a new release issued here. However, smog, which is the worst form of the outdoor air pollution, would continue to devour the country’s gains in public health, environmental and economic sectors as long as these very sources of smog remain unaddressed,†he cautioned. Referring to the recent introduction of the Rice Straw Shredder and Happy Seeder technology in Sheikhupura district on Friday (November 6, 2020), Aslam said the much-needed technology has been finally launched and being provided to the farmers, which would help avoid burning of the paddy crop residue and instead convert the residue into organic fertilizer for boosting fertility of their farmlands. He informed that around hundreds of the pairs of rice straw shredder and happy seeder technology were being provided to the farmers under a joint multi-billion rupees initiative launched jointly by the Agricultural Engineering Division (Lahore) of the Punjab Agriculture Department and the Federal Ministry of Climate Change. The technology is being introduced across the country under the government’s ambitious national project ‘Mechanised Management of Rice Crop Residue’ for which Rs 30 billion are being spent for disbursement of the 50,000 units of the rice straw shredder and happy seeder technology to the farmers to stem the stubble burning, which is among the key causes of smog in winter, Malik Amin Aslam elaborated.
