Punjab Orders Closure of Non-Compliant Wedding Halls

News Desk
LAHORE: In a decisive move to combat escalating smog levels and severe environmental degradation, the Punjab government has announced a strict crackdown on wedding halls operating across the province without mandatory suction hoods.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized all arrangements to enforce the directive, warning that establishments failing to comply by the stipulated deadline will face immediate closure and heavy legal penalties.
According to environmental regulators, commercial kitchens and marriage halls are significant contributors to local air pollution due to unmitigated smoke and carbon emissions.
The installation of suction hoods and filtration systems has been declared compulsory for all venues hosting large gatherings.
Officials maintain that repeated warnings and extended deadlines have been largely ignored by venue owners, leaving authorities with no alternative but to initiate unconditional closures across major districts.
The crackdown carries profound implications for the commercial events sector, impacting thousands of families and businesses during the peak wedding season.
While wedding planners and hall owners have expressed concerns over short compliance windows, environmental experts and health officials have strongly endorsed the intervention.
They argue that drastic measures are urgently required to curb the hazardous air quality index (AQI) plaguing Punjab’s major urban centers, which poses severe respiratory risks to millions of citizens.
District administrations and specialized EPA inspection teams have been directed to begin field operations immediately following the expiration of the deadline.
Authorities have confirmed that inspections will be randomized and comprehensive, ensuring zero tolerance for violators.
Further administrative reviews are scheduled later this week to evaluate compliance rates and determine if additional punitive measures are necessary for persistent offenders.