After restaurants, the Punjab government has now decided to seal wedding halls, banquet halls and marquees for violating environmental laws, as part of its intensified crackdown against smog and air pollution.
According to officials, the Punjab Environment Department has decided to take strict action against wedding halls that fail to install mandatory suction hoods.
Authorities say smoke produced during live cooking and barbecues at wedding events is contributing significantly to air pollution and will no longer be tolerated.
Suction hoods mandatory
The department has made it compulsory for all wedding halls, banquet halls and marquees across Punjab to install suction hoods. The final deadline for installation is January 31, after which inspections will begin and enforcement action will follow immediately.
Punjab Environment Director General Imran Hamid Sheikh said that smoke emitted from live cooking and barbecues is a serious environmental crime under smog control laws. He warned that operating any wedding venue without a suction hood would be considered a clear violation of the law.
Immediate sealing and heavy fines
Dr. Sheikh stated that wedding halls found operating without suction hoods will face immediate sealing, along with legal action. He further warned that heavy fines will be imposed under Punjab’s smog and environmental protection laws on violators.
The DG confirmed that the directive will be implemented immediately across the entire Punjab, not limited to Lahore alone.
Officials said inspection teams have been instructed to ensure strict compliance, emphasizing that environmental protection remains a top priority during the ongoing smog season.
