Sharjah civic body adopts zero tolerance approach to littering

The Municipality has launched an awareness campaign today to educate residents about the environmental dangers of littering. "We spend a large sum of money on an annual basis to maintain the city's cleanliness and its landscapes but there is a significant number of people who continue to throw waste on the city's landscapes, public beaches and parks," Engr Sultan Abdullah Al Mualla, Director General of Sharjah Municipality, said. "We have already increased the number of staff to cope with the level of waste that is constantly increasing, which is caused by more people who are in living in Sharjah now," he said. He pointed out that the campaign is aimed at educating the general public, shop owners and particularly students on the importance of preserving the environment. The campaign will be coordinated with Sharjah Police and the Ministry of Labour, in addition to other governmental departments. Imposing fines "Depending on the severity of the violations, such as smoking sheesha or dumping a large quantity of waste in an area, the municipality inspectors will impose fines between Dh200 and Dh500," Al Mualla said. He further explained that such offenders should comply with the rules against littering and practise a higher standard of hygienic practices. According to the director general, the Municipality intends to raise the penalty for offenders who litter the city with their waste and cigarette butts, which is a common sight in areas such as Bu Tinah, Abu Shagara and the industrial areas. The need to improve and maintain the city's cleanliness is in line with the directives of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.