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Ramadan in UAE: Iftar meals distribution at these 20 spots in Dubai

Dubai - The team will streamline efforts to distribute Iftar meals and ensure compliance with precautionary measures.

A total of 86,500 meals and 42,560 food baskets will be distributed during Ramadan in 20 main points across Dubai.

The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) in Dubai announced on Sunday it has formed a special team to oversee the distribution of Ramadan meals.

IACAD said the operation will take place in cooperation with the Community Development Authority, Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality, Dubai’s Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs and the Department of Economic Development (DED).

The areas covered by the distribution points include Silicon Oasis, Umm Hurair, Al Hamriya, Al Nahda, Hatta, Al Qusais, Al Muhaisnah, Al Quoz, Al Khawaneej and Jebel Ali.

The team will coordinate the distribution of Ramadan meals with the help of government departments and accredited charities in Dubai, said director-general of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai Dr Hamad Al Sheikh Ahmed Al Shaibani.

He said the team will streamline efforts to distribute Iftar meals and ensure compliance with precautionary measures.

Dr Shaibani stressed community members should channel their food donations through accredited charitable societies and institutions, which have expertise in managing the distribution of meals to large groups.

“A flexible mechanism was created to allocate responsibilities to all teams to ensure a smooth distribution process” said the director-general of IACAD.

Dubai’s Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs will identify labour accommodation complexes for the distribution programme while Dubai Police will enforce precautionary measures at distribution sites and ensure crowding does not take place. “Charities will work in cooperation with Watani Al Emarat Foundation to deliver meals to the supervisors of labour accommodations so that they can then be distributed to beneficiaries. Meals will also be delivered to beneficiaries outside such facilities through the ‘Meals of Hope’ initiative,” he explained. IACAD will ensure the distribution takes place an hour before Iftar.

The Department will also issue permits to public-benefit agencies and social clubs to distribute meals to the community after obtaining approval from the Community Development Authority.

The meal distribution process will be monitored daily during Ramadan. All individuals receiving food at distribution points have to observe preventive guidelines including wearing of masks, social distancing and maintenance of personal hygiene.

Furthermore, the Dubai Police will issue fines to individuals who violate precautionary measures. The fines will be registered on their Emirates IDs to deter further violations. “IACAD will issue penalties to charity organisations violating the preventive guidelines, while the Community Development Authority will penalise breaches of guidelines by public-benefit agencies” said Dr Shaibani.

The Department of Economic Development and Dubai Municipality will identify restaurants that violate precautionary measures by accepting donations and distributing meals without prior permission. Dubai Municipality will identify violations of food safety procedures at the distribution points.

Dr Hamad added that the Watani Al Emarat Foundation is making a major contribution to the food distribution programme with over 1,000 volunteers supporting the initiative.

Accredited charity organisations that will be distributing donated food during the Holy Month include UAE Red Crescent Authority, the Mohammed bin Rashid Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, Dubai Charitable Society, Dar Al Ber Society, Tarahum Charitable Foundation, Beit Al Khair Society and Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation. Food baskets will be distributed by Dubai Charitable Society, Easa Saleh Al Gurg Charity Foundation, the Dar Al Ber Society, Mohammed bin Rashid Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, Beit Al Khair Society and Tarahum Charitable Foundation.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com