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Sewage Tanks in Al Quoz Industrial 
Area Overflow, Spread Stench

DUBAI— Residents of labour accommodation behind the cement factory near (old) Grand Shopping Mall in Al Quoz Industrial Area 3 are forced to bear with the stench from overflowing sewage tanks and negotiate puddles of sewage on roads.

Many of them have stopped cooking in their homes because of the stench.”

The sewage tanks in our camp have been overflowing because they are not emptied regularly. Sewage water from these tanks have formed puddles of water inside the camp and on nearby roads.

Everyday, we have to cross these puddles,” said Suresh Kumar, an India worker staying in one of the camps.

“The foul smell is unbearable. We have stopped cooking in the room as we cannot eat any food with this stench around all the time,” said Mohammed Khan, a Pakistani worker.

“Each day we have to cross sewage water accumulated on the road to go to the worksite and return. We have complained to the company several times but no action has been taken,” he complained. Mohammed Usman, a barber, said he does not come out of his nearby hairdresser shop as often as he used to.

“The sewage water is flowing from a cluster of labour camps in the area.”

The watchman of one of the labour camps said, “The sewage tanks in the camp have been overflowing as the tankers are not coming to remove it. I don’t know the reason.”

Kamran, assistant manager of Progressive Real Estate, one of the companies renting labour camps, blamed the long queue of sewage tankers in Al Aweer Sewage Treatment Plant for the delay in emptying tanks in the camps.

“The tankers have to wait for a long time at the plant to dispose of the sewage. Because of this, the tankers are not able to come and collect the sewage on time. “Dubai Municipality officials said they would send inspectors to the area to check the situation and stiff penalties would be imposed if there is any breach of law.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, officials of the Drainage and Irrigation Department of the municipality, said maintenance and emptying of sewage tanks regularly in labour camps are the responsibility of the management of the companies that house their workers there.

If a company fails to meet the hygiene standards prescribed by the civic body, it will be fined up to Dh40,000.

Recently, the municipality had warned the tankers against dumping sewage in the open. As many as 27 tankers were fined Dh50,000 each. The municipality also increased the penalty for illegal dumping of sewage by tankers to Dh100,000.