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	Pollution Control Department deputy chief Suwit Kattiyavong said yesterday Lampang province had already suffered smog this month in excess of the legal limit on forest fire-triggered dust less-than-10-microns in size. Muang district reported 122 micrograms per cubic metre, while Mae Mo district had 127 micrograms per cubic metre.&nbsp;</div>
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	The smoke and dust problem usually plagues the North from January to April, he said adding that the ministry and related agencies were working together to formulate a 120-day action plan to tackle the problem, which would need approval from the Cabinet.&nbsp;</div>
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	The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has joined with the Royal Forestry Department in using a GPS technology to find forest fire coordinates. So far officials have found that 30 per cent of such fires are lit to clear farmland.</div>
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Ban on fires proposed for North

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment wants to impose a strict ban on fires in nine provinces in the North during a critical 60-day period designated by local administrators, as part of an action plan that requires approval from the Cabinet.