One Million Trees Project in Dubai

Hussain Lootah, Director General of the Dubai Municipality, speaking at the majlis of Dubai Police Commander-in-Chief Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, said the civic body had extensive plans to spread greenery and preserve
 the environment.

“Our aim is to plant 1 million trees in Dubai emirate as part of the Dubai Greenery project,” he said.

He revealed that Dubai comes on the top on the world in waste material, as the volume touches 9,000 tonnes per day and there is an annual increase of waste with each person residing in Dubai responsible for 2.2 to 2.7 tonnes of waste. Sustainable water use is also at 40 per cent compared to 20 per cent of the supply in other countries.

He said that there are some projects to recycle the waste and transfer it to energy despite the difficulties 
being faced.

He said the Dubai Municipality has prepared studies to recycle 20-40 per cent of home wastes.

He said the government should support waste recycling as it happens in other countries.

“We have tried to encourage people for recycling at gas stations and we gave them incentives, but they did not respond,” he said.Regarding Jumeirah beach he said that it was affected by 
soil erosions.

“So we are planning to plant on the beach. We have started the second phase but we face a difficulty because of the location of a private house.”

Dhahi Khalfan said that Jumierah people are ready to plant the area. In the past the late Shaikh Rashid bin Saeed asked Dubai police to plant on the Dubai–Sharjah road and they did.

He said the DM focused on the green houses to reduce gas and electricity consumption.

The Director of the Dubai Municipality said the green areas in Dubai have dropped due to a number of pedestrian, bridges projects and the expansion of .

However the DM is preparing for the rehabilitation and expansion of greenery in Dubai.

Hussein said that 15 days ago the DM inaugurated the Jebel Ali station for sewage water treatment.

amira@khaleejtimes.ae