Six hotels sealed in Sialkot over smog control violations

The Environment Protection Department Sialkot sealed six hotels on Tuesday for failing to install suction hoods, as part of Punjab's effort to control smog and air pollution, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

The department did not release the names of the hotels or say whether they would be allowed to resume operations after installing the required equipment. The action was taken under ongoing smog-control rules that require commercial kitchens to fit suction hoods to capture smoke and grease.

The closures in Sialkot are among several recent enforcement actions across Punjab aimed at reducing emissions before the winter smog season. In Chiniot, the Punjab Council of Arts Faisalabad and the district administration sealed Neelam Theater after a joint inspection found violations of the approved theatrical programme, prescribed rules and regulations, and irregularities in promotional material, APP reported separately. In Faisalabad, the Environmental Protection Agency inspected 29 industrial units under smog-control rules, according to Greenpost.

Punjab has for years faced hazardous levels of smog during the winter months, when crop residue burning, vehicle emissions, and industrial and commercial activities combine with temperature inversions to trap pollutants. The provincial government has issued restrictions and ordered enforcement actions against polluting businesses, though implementation has varied across districts.

The Sialkot Environment Protection Department said the hotel closures were specifically for failure to install suction hoods, which are intended to reduce particulate matter released from kitchens. The department did not provide further details about fines or legal proceedings.

Smog has become a recurring public health problem in Punjab, with officials often restricting activities in winter months when air quality reaches dangerous levels.