I have been living in Sharjah for more than four decades, and I have some kind of an emotional attachment to Buhairah Corniche and the parks around it. It disturbs me to see people spoiling it by throwing garbage in the water and around the park.
A few days ago, I came across two painful situations. A couple had breakfast on the grass at the corniche. When they got up to leave, they just left all the trash behind. On seeing this, I politely called the man and requested him to put the waste in the nearby garbage bin. He did not understand my request. I then told them that on their behalf, I would do it and collected all the waste and put it in the garbage bin, which was just two metres way.
The same day I noticed a boat that was being used to clean up the waters. The boat was almost full of all types of trash. The boat’s driver told me that the garbage in the boat had been collected in just one hour from a very small portion of the corniche.
Why do people have the mentality to spoil the water body and parks despite of all the waste disposal facilities being available nearby?
It is time to introduce high fines for people spoiling the environment. There should be shadow police officers to detect all such violators. Only then will people learn how to protect and respect the environment.
— The reader is based in Sharjah.
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FACTBOX
According to a Gulf News report published on March 24, littering or dumping waste in an area will result in the municipality inspectors imposing a fine of Dh500.
