Dubai
I feel terrible about how many of us never care about the environment and the city’s cleanliness. On the other hand, I regularly watch the Dubai Municipality workers clean the roads and parks around the emirate.
I used to go Al Qusais park, to play basketball and tennis. Most of the times, I would see a lot of waste paper, empty soft drink bottles and other waste left next to the trees. A few days ago, I counted five dustbins around the park at approximately every 50 metres, but despite that the public who use the park facilities do not use these dustbins, which are kept in order to ensure a clean environment, and throw trash wherever they like. This attitude is the major cause of polluting the environment.
I once came across a soft drink bottle lying next to a tree when the dustbin was just a few steps away. But, the person who used the bottle did not want to take the strain of disposing it properly. You may wonder how one bottle makes a difference, but if everyone thought the same way then there would be no difference between a junkyard and a residential area.
I have noticed the municipal cleaner working at even 1am. But, if we as the public do not cooperate with them, how can we maintain a clean environment? I request everyone to do their part to ensure a clean and safe environment.
— The reader is a student based in Dubai.
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FACTBOX
According to a Gulf News report published on March 24, 2016, littering or dumping waste in an area will result in the municipality inspectors imposing a fine of Dh500. The Dubai Municipality is said to spend over Dh50 million annually on the maintenance of public parks, according to a Gulf News report published in November 2013. The municipality has placed ashtrays and waste bins every 50 to 100 metres in the busy central business district areas.
