Ras Al Khaimah: Vehicles are out on the roads checking that people aren’t throwing rubbish out of their cars — and if they are they could be fined.
The Public Works Department has six vehicles to monitor tourist areas and highways.
“The aim is to spread awareness among community members more than imposing fines on them,” Rashid Al Shehi, director of the monitoring section at the Public Works Department, told Gulf News.
The six vehicles, which are on the road round the clock, are considered the first of their kind in the country and have high-tech equipment, Al Shehi said.
They first hit the road on February 28 and in the first phase covered mostly tourism areas such as beaches and parks. During the coming period the number of patrols will be increased to cover the whole emirate, Al Shehi said. “They will be deployed on Al Qawasim Corniche, beaches, resorts, parks, hotels and Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road,” Al Shehi said.
The fleet is operated by 16 members of staff who work in three shifts and people can report any violation on the 24-hour toll free number 800 8118.
The department also has vehicles to monitor construction companies and check they are not throwing rubbish onto the road. A total of 495 violations have been registered with the department, which include people throwing litter.
“The fine for littering the road will start from Dh500 up to Dh10,000 depending on the kind of violation. First the violator will get a warning but in case he repeats the violation then he will be fined,” Al Shehi said.
