Just weeks before the festival, Chinese people are anguished over China's ban to prepare smoked bacon and fire chicken due to the worsening smog conditions over major cities.
Congqing municipal environment protection bureau claims that preparation of the said delicacies is the reason for a spike in PM2.5 smog readings. The bureau also claims that tiny air pollutants that cause respiratory and heart illness are present in the air. Chongqing is the largest city in China with a population of 30 million people.
This year's lunar New Year festival falls on Feb. 19. Many residents of Chongqing and the nearby Sichuan Province like to preserve pork and bacon as tradition dictates.
Recently, the Chengguan, China's urban management police notorious for their lethal attacks, have began their crackdown on illegal vendors. Violators of the law are facing a fine of $800.
To lessen the amount of smog enveloping Chinese cities, officials have been known to force vehicles off the roads, ban fireworks and barbecues, and stop the age-long Chinese tradition of burning the clothes of the dead.
The Chinese government have been known to be expert in temporary solutions when it comes to smog. During a world summit last November, city officials enforced lots of temporary measures, including snuffing out car drivers, factories and industrial plants, restaurants and funeral houses.
However, most Chinese blame the air pollution to China's widespread use of coal in the industry and as overall power source. The increasing number of polluting vehicles is another cited cause.
Peking University's environmental health expert Pan Xiaochuan suggested that to lessen pollution, the government must suppress it to the source. He further stated that the government should opt for alternative energy sources instead of trivial solutions like the banning of bacon and fire chicken.