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Wed, Dec 25, 2024 | Jumada al-Aakhirah 24, 1446 | DXB
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Spit and pay Dh1,000 fine; Dubai cracks the whip on litterbugs
New fines introduced and some of the existing ones hiked in a major crackdown on litterbugs, betel leaf (paan) chewers, spitters and other offenders violating rules on waste management and cleanliness
- By
- Sajila Saseendran/senior Reporter
Dubai - Littering in Dubai beaches will now attract a fine of Dh1,000 while barbecuing in unauthorised public places and not cleaning up pets’ waste will invite a fine of Dh500 each.
Cracking the whip on those damaging the appearance of Dubai, the emirate will issue a fine of Dh1,000 on those sticking posters, ads and flyers without permission.
New fines introduced include those for causing oil leakage in sea, creek or ports (Dh3,000) and dumping pesticide cans in municipal garbage containers (Dh5,000).
Dubai introduced these new fines and hiked some of the existing ones in a major crackdown on litterbugs, betel leaf (paan) chewers, spitters and other offenders violating rules on waste management and cleanliness.
The emirate’s regulations from the last decade on littering, random waste disposal and other violations related to keeping the city clean and its environment safe will now be replaced with the new regulations announced on Tuesday.
The Dubai Media Office said Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, has endorsed the Executive Council’s Resolution No (14) of 2015 amending the penalties and fines on violation of Local Order No (11) of 2003 on Public Health and Safety of the Society in the emirate of Dubai.
The penalties and fines schedule attached to Resolution No (14) of 2015 revokes the penalties and fines schedule attached to Administrative Resolution No (30) of 2007. The new resolution seeks to preserve the civilised image of Dubai as (a) global city, it said in a Press release.
The amendment in the penalties and fines include wrong disposal of hazardous waste, building and demolition waste and industrial waste. Pursuant to the new resolution, improper disposal of wastewater is subject to a Dh100,000 fine.
Betel leaf chewers spitting in public places and people dirtying the streets with unauthorised car washing will also see their wallets lighter as fines for these offences have been hiked to Dh1,000 and Dh500 respectively from Dh500 and Dh100. It is understood that the Executive Council passed the resolution following a proposal from the Dubai Municipality which oversees waste management in the emirate.
More transparency
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Assistant Director-General of the Dubai Municipality for Environment and Public Health Services Sector Salah Amiri said the amendments in the law aimed at coping with the rapid developments in the city and making the penalty system more transparent to the public.
“As Dubai grew, a few fines were not available in our rules. We had to introduce them. There were other things which were not clear in our fine system. People would complain and ask for what they are paying certain fines. It was not clear for them. We had to clarify them, make clear definition of violations and penalties and make the system completely transparent.”
Certain violations and penalties such as spilling oil in the creek and waterways that damaged the environment also had to be properly defined and brought under clear legal framework, he said.
In certain offences, such as spitting paan, Al Amiri said, the fine was increased as people continued to violate the rules even after being fined. “We had to increase the fine from Dh500 to Dh1,000 for spitting paan. Still people are not cooperating with us.”
Earlier, the municipality had held awareness campaigns asking shopkeepers and shop owners to share the responsibility of keeping the city clean and to help give a positive impression of Dubai to its visitors and tourists. -sajila@khaleejtimes.com
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Hanging clothes in balconies | Dh500 |
| Barbecuing in unauthorised public places | Dh500 |
| Not cleaning up pets’ waste | Dh500 |
| Dirtying the street by washing cars in unauthorised places | Dh500 |
| Littering in beaches, sea, creek, ports | Dh1,000 |
| Sticking posters, ads and flyers | Dh1,000 |
| Spitting paan in public places | Dh1,000 |
| Urinating in public places | Dh500 |
| Disposing of waste in public places or on sites other than those designated to dump them | Dh500 |
| Littering in public places | Dh500 |
| Dropping waste or hazardous materials in places other than designated | Dh5,000 |
| Dumping construction debris and remains in places other than approved dumping grounds | Dh5,000 |
| Getting rid of waste water in open places | Dh100,000 |
| Leakage of wastewater from the buildings or from water tank trucks on the road | Dh10,000 |
| Fall of any solid or liquid substances from concrete mixer trucks on the road | Dh50,000 |
| Disposing of used oil in the sewage networks or the septic tanks | Dh3,000 |
| Causing oil leakage in beaches, creek or ports | Dh3,000 |
| Littering garbage in sea water, creeks, beaches or ports | Dh1,000 |
| Disposing of waste by setting it afire | Dh1,000 |
| Throwing parts or branches of trees in undesignated places | Dh1,000 |
| Getting rid of wastewater from cleaning vehicles in unauthorised places | Dh500 |
| Water leakage from air conditioners | Dh100 |
| Leaving vehicles or heavy equipment in public places causing damage to public health and safety | Dh500 plus impounding the vehicle/machinery after expiry of the granted period of warning |
| Not providing of a room or a chute inside the building for dumping waste | Dh5,000 |
| Not maintaining waste-storing facilities in the building | 500 |
| Not cleaning the buildings | Dh1,000 |
| Private firms or residential compounds not providing proper waste-storage | Dh5,000 |
| Not changing the garbage containers according to the quantity of the waste | Dh1,000 |
| Not keeping external yards and parking lots clean | Dh500 |
| Offering cleaning and waste disposal services without licence | Dh5,000 |
| Disposing of garbage harmful to the public or garbage containers | Dh1,000 |
| Moving garbage containers without approval | Dh200 |
| Scavenging in the municipality's garbage bins to collect recyclable materials | Dh1,000 |
| Damaging the garbage container or surroundings | Dh1,000 |
| Parking vehicles near waste bins in a way that obstruct municipality's garbage trucks | Dh1,000 |
| Dumping garbage from private company-owned vehicles to municipality's waste bins | Dh1,000 |
| Failing to implement a proper recycling plan to reduce waste production | Dh1,000 |
| Bringing in, selling or using paan including betel leaves | Dh5,000 |
| Not moving waste from auto garages on owners' expense to specified disposal sites | Dh1,000 |
| Not cleaning or maintaining garbage storing places | Dh1,000 |
| Changing or closing a garbage storing room in abuilding or compound | Dh5,000 |
| Changing or closing garbage storing rooms in a multi-storeyed building completely or partially | Dh1,000 per each room |
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