Officials from the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the Environment Public Authority (EPA) discussed Tuesday establishment of "Environment Police" unit within the MoI.
The meeting is held after issuance of new environmental law No. 42 of 2014, which stipulated establishment of Environment Police, noted Major-General Abdulfatah Al-Ali, MoI's Assistant Undersecretary for General Security.
Speaking at the meeting, Al-Ali said article 113 of law stated establishment of Environment Police with a mandate of enforcing environment-related laws in all sectors. This unit, he added, supported EPA's monitors.
Al-Ali said the Environment Police unit should be operational within the two years following issuance of the new environmental law.
He said there were teams inspecting factories in Shuaiba, the Friday Market, Doha area and some shopping malls that were violating the environmental safety conditions.
Mohammad Al-Enezi, EPA's Deputy Director General for Technical Affairs, the Environment Police would be supporting the EPA monitors to enforce implementation of environmental laws.
He noted that the new board of the Supreme Council of Environment under chairmanship of Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.