ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: Allergy Relief Management Committee, headed by the chief commissioner, has decided to remove all Paper Mulberry trees from the capital within the next three years, Dawn has learnt.

The decision to this effect was taken during a recently-held meeting of the committee, which observed that removal of Paper Mulberry trees, considered the main cause of Islamabad-specific allergy phenomenon during spring season, was the only solution to the problem.

However, talking to Dawn, officials of Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency have criticized the committee decision, and called for research by organizations such as the National Institute of Health to look for some scientific solutions to the allergy problem.

They claimed that the committee, having inadequate knowledge of pollen allergies, went by general perception that unprecedented surge in the number of allergy patients during spring was caused by Paper Mulberry.

One of the committee members told Dawn that during the meeting, he had highlighted the extensive research undertaken in the US on pollen allergies that laid more focus on precautionary measures than elimination of certain species of trees and other plants.

He claimed that till this date, no study had ever been undertaken by any institution on the pollen problem and its solution. Responding to a question, he said during spring season, pollens were produced by all plants for their pollination, and people having developed certain allergies fell victim to this phenomenon.

In Japan when Cherry blossoms, a certain number of Japanese, as it happens in Islamabad, fall victim to pollen allergy. However, instead of uprooting Cherry trees, they celebrate the arrival of spring, he said.

Likewise, in the UK, people suffer from hay fever caused by grass during a certain time period. But, it does not mean that grass should be removed from everywhere, the committee member said.

Instead, they have developed precautionary measures which is the best way to tackle with such problems, he observed. Answering a query, he said Paper Mulberry was a perfect soil-binder, and its roots system also helped in sustaining water table.