DUBAI: Forty-two people have been fined this year by Dubai Municipality for urinating or excreting in public.
There is no escape for offenders. Because apart from municipality inspectors, the civic body has also authorised over 700 residents to penalise those who spit paan, throw waste out of cars, deface the city or urinate in public.
Throwing waste, including cigarette butts, out of vehicles topped the list of violations with 3,270 fines until June. As many as 402 fines were issued for washing vehicles in prohibited areas, 288 for spitting, 51 for spewing paan. The fine for offences such as urinating in public, spitting or throwing waste on the road is Dh500 whereas washing cars on the streets or drippy air conditioners attract a fine of Dh100. Spitting paan has the maximum penalty — Dh1,000.
“This year we have increased the number of people authorised to check violations and impose fines. Our aim is not to fine people, but to make them aware and check such incidences that make the city dirty. Often, we let off the offenders with a warning. People should cooperate in keeping Dubai clean,” said Abdul Majeed Saifaie, Director of Waste Management Department, Dubai Municipality.
Along with 150 inspectors from the Municipality, there are 700 residents working with different departments and even VIPs who have been authorised to impose fines for littering. The team was formed to make residents aware of their civic responsibilities in keeping with Local Order No 11 of 2003 that prohibits throwing or disposing of any kind of waste in areas where it is not permitted. The team helping the civic body is not restricted to any geographical area.
“The number of violations has increased mainly because there are more people on the job to crack down on offenders,” added Saifaie.
He said a major violation was discarding cigarette butts in public. “Many people are not aware that this is an offence.”
He said other categories of violations include abandoning cars in public areas, for which 1,406 fines were imposed. Water leakage from air conditioners resulted in 38 fines.
The fines range from Dh100 to Dh100,000.
