Report sought on cotton belt conversion into cane plantation.

LAHORE -- The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the Punjab government to submit a report on the conversion of cotton-growing areas into sugarcane plantations.

Hearing petitions about government's failure to control smog, Chief Justice-designate Mamoon Rashid Sheikh observed with a great concern that cotton-growing areas had been converted into sugarcane plantations resulting in depletion of underground water level.

The judge further observed that Pakistan was going to face water crisis due to vested interest of sugar barons.

The judge summoned heads of the Lahore Development Authority and Parks and Horticulture Authority on next hearing to apprise the court of precautionary measures taken in plantation of trees in Lahore.

Earlier, a law officer told the court that motor vehicular emission regulations had been formulated and on next hearing a report would be submitted regarding its execution.

He stated the chief minister and his cabinet were conducting a meeting on the implementation of smog policy and closure of brick kilns which failed to convert on zigzag technology.

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