The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab has ordered a crackdown on marriage halls, banquet halls and marquees operating without functional suction hood systems, warning that violators will face closure along with heavy fines.
The enforcement drive follows the expiry of the grace period given to marriage halls to install mandatory suction hood systems.
The final deadline was January 31, 2026, and the EPA has ruled out any further extension for establishments that have failed to comply.
EPA Punjab Director General Abdullah Nayyar Sheikh has instructed field officers to intensify inspections and take strict action against venues lacking effective suction hood systems. He said environmental regulations would be enforced without compromise.
Under the campaign, marriage halls found operating without properly installed and functional suction hoods may be sealed or closed and subjected to financial penalties. The action will apply regardless of whether a venue is hosting an event at the time of inspection..
The EPA has stressed that suction hoods are a mandatory environmental requirement and not an optional measure. Officers have also been directed to verify the actual operation and effectiveness of the systems rather than relying solely on documents, notices or previous compliance assurances.
Venues using defective, inadequate or non-functional suction systems will also face enforcement proceedings under applicable environmental regulations..
The agency has already launched a similar campaign against restaurants. More than 500 restaurants have been sealed for violations involving kitchen emissions and failure to install the required suction hood systems.
According to the EPA, commercial kitchens without proper emission-control systems release cooking smoke, grease and particulate matter directly into the atmosphere. Such emissions can have a greater impact in densely populated urban areas with a high concentration of restaurants and marriage halls.
The latest action is part of Punjab’s broader pre-smog enforcement campaign targeting major sources of air pollution, including industrial units, brick kilns, restaurants, commercial cooking facilities and high-emission vehicles..
The EPA has directed its field formations to maintain strict monitoring and prevent non-compliant establishments from continuing operations after the expiry of their compliance period.
Officials said the objective of the campaign was not merely to penalise businesses but to ensure that commercial cooking facilities adopt effective emission-control measures and reduce the uncontrolled release of pollutants.
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