With regard to a recent Gulf News report about pollution from quarries, I hope my contribution through a community report will bring about positive change.
It is a daily routine for residents who drive to work from Fujairah to Qidfa, Khor Fakkan or Dibba to pass through huge clouds of dust raised by quarries that lie along the main road. The result is that visibility is greatly reduced for passing motorists.
Many heavy vehicles take this road to the quarries and their risky manoeuvres at the U-turns endanger other motorists.
The quarries employ thousands of workers and it would not be surprising if they are exposed to throat and lung infections. I really don't know how much dust these workers take in every day, but it is a serious [health hazard].
Many residents living nearby suffer from dust-related allergies. Children living in these areas are prone to various kinds of allergies and many have developed asthma — an affliction that stays with them for life.
Along with the dust and smoke rising from these quarries, the smell of oil from refineries also affects the quality of the air for local residents. This is not to mention the disturbance to animals and birds, and the severe noise pollution from detonation techniques employed in the quarries.
Since I am not an environmentalist, I am unable to highlight the exact level of environmental pollution in this area. But as a commoner and going by the environmental impact, I can vouch for the fact that the lives of many people are being adversely affected in the area.
I also see the natural beauty of the area being destroyed by these activities.
It is therefore my humble request to the authorities to take into account the health of residents in Fujairah and put an end to the pollution caused by these quarries.
— The reader is an administrative supervisor, based in Fujairah
- Be a citizen reporter. Tell us what is happening in your community. Write to us at: readers@gulfnews.com
