ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s mot populous region is reeling under toxic air quality levels, and authorities took stern measures to deal with the extreme weather conditions including ban on weddings.
Reports in local media said provincial authorities are considering three-month wedding ban to help reduce pollution levels. The proposal suggests limiting weddings to the month of October, with a ban imposed during the peak smog months of November, December, and January.
The idea comes as Lahore, the city of around 15million, continues to suffer from hazardous air quality, recently ranking as the most polluted city in the world. The toxic air raised serious concerns for public health, particularly for children, with UNICEF issuing warnings about the risks posed to over 11 million children under the age of five who are exposed to the pollution.
Wedding ban in Lahore and other parts of Punjab are a wider set of measures being implemented by the provincial government to mitigate the smog.
Other actions include shut down of schools, a reduction in office staff, and ban on heavy vehicles entering the metropolis.
The ongoing smog crisis in Punjab is largely attributed to crop burning, vehicle emissions, and the operation of coal-powered plants.
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