People dumping sewage in unauthorized areas will be fined Dh100,000

Dubai: Companies putting up workers in unauthorized premises will be fined Dh5,000 to Dh25,000, depending on the type of offence, announced Dubai Municipality on Tuesday.

New fines have also been announced for violation of general cleanliness rules in the city.

The civic body has also introduced increased fines for illegal disposal of sewage in non-designated areas, preventing leakage of sewage from buildings or dropping garbage on streets and import, trade, possession, use and consumption of paan (betel leaf combined with the areca nut and other ingredients, used for chewing).

Dh100,000 fine for illegal disposal of sewage in non-designated areas, Dh10,000 for not preventing sewage leakage from buildings or dumping sewage on public streets and Dh50,000 fine if caught importing, trading, possessing, using and consuming paan.

Engineer Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, said the new fines form part of several amendments made to the executive bill of Local Order No.11 of 2003, aimed at safeguarding public health and preserving safety of communities living in Dubai.

Companies require a permit from Dubai Municipality to put workers up inside their premises or any worksite.

According to the new decision, if a firm is found to having violated this rule, it will be fined Dh5,000, if the number of employees thus accommodated is between 6 and 20. The fine will be raised to Dh10,000 if the number of employees is between 21 to 30. Subsequently, a fine of Dh15,000 will be imposed if this number is between 31 to 50 and the fine will be Dh25,000 if more than 50 workers are accommodated in unauthorized premises.

The decision also stipulates that if a firm accommodates individuals inside establishments or buildings that have not been designated as an "accommodation," the firm will be fined Dh5,000 per each individual.

Meanwhile, other amendments as stipulated in the decision suggest fines for various types of violations of the general cleanliness rules. If anyone found disposing sewage water in an open area or in any other non-designated areas, the violating individual or establishment will have to pay a fine of Dh100,000.

Also, in case of a failure from anyone in preventing a leakage of sewage water from buildings or dropping of sewage water by tankers onto the public roads, a fine of Dh10,000 will be imposed against the violators.

Spitting of pan or littering streets with its residue will fetch a fine of Dh1,000 instead of the previous fine of Dh500. The existing fines for the import, trade, possession or use of pan will be raised from Dh5,000 to Dh50,000.

The decision also stipulates that if any of the violation is repeated within a span of one year, the fine amount will be doubled and additional legal measures will be taken against the violators, including confiscation of the violating vehicle, suspension of trade licence for 30 days or disconnection of utilities from the premises.