Dubai: Scribbling or spray painting on public buildings, walls and streets may land one in handcuffs, said a senior official from the general maintenance department, Dubai Municipality.
The civic body is also planning to tighten its grip on anyone involved in vandalising public property.
Dubai residents living in areas such as Al Rashidiya and Satwa said they often come across group of teenagers loitering around with spray paint cans during weekends. "I won't brand these teenagers as trouble makers because they quietly leave the area when confronted," said Elyas Mohammad Khan a resident who lives in one of the villas on Mankhool road.
"They also fear the police patrols around these area. For example last weekend I came across some teenagers sharing a cigarette and a couple of them were fiddling with the cans of spray paint. A while later they left the place with no harm done," said Khan.
Another resident living in Al Rashidiya said that graffiti on walls of private buildings are not repaired by the Dubai Municipality.
"This happened last year when I was living in a villa. One morning we came across something bad being scribbled on the walls of the building. It was impossible to ignore the scribbling as it really read dirty. The landlord refused to get it cleaned so we contributed money and got the wall whitewashed," he said.
Juma Al Fuqaie, director of general maintenance department, Dubai Municipality, said that although graffiti on walls and public and private properties has considerably been brought under control due to joint efforts launched by the Dubai municipality and the Dubai police, the public should lodge complaints through the hotline number in case they come across people involved in distorting the landscape and the infrastructure.
Contact: Municipal hotlineDubai Municipality has asked the public to report instances of vandalism on public buildings on the Hotline number 800900.
The complaints will be internally monitored and will be dealt with in coordination with Dubai Police.
Your comments
This is a good breather from the municipality. There are some shameless kids who spray and write such dirty and nasty things on the wall that it can affect many people especially the young one's since they always come up with questions and keep asking "what's that?, what's that?". The police should patrol the residential areas since the offenders lurk around those areas often.
Shaheen
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 31, 2009, 17:31
Along with the Vandalism we should take care of the sticking of the poster and paper's for the "TOLET" every time you pass from the Bur Dubai or Deira Dubai Street; you will find lot of paper stuck on Walls, Lamp polls, Building Entrance, Telephone booths, vending machines, also on the Garbage bins. Municipality should take some action on the such bills and fine them who advertise this way for their benifit at cost of country image.
Devanand
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 31, 2009, 15:12
