Ras Al Khaimah residents facing problems due to cement factory emissions

Picture used for illustrative purposes alone

Residents of Khor Khuweir in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah were shocked on Tuesday when the sky was filled with heavy clouds of dust and harmful emissions which later proved to be coming from a nearby cement factory.
The Environment Protection and Development Authority (EPDA), RAK, alerted of the critical emissions, has launched intensive investigations as the huge amounts of the cement factory to the north of the emirate spread to the nearby residential areas.
"We have received several complaints from the public who voiced their concerns about the impact of these harmful emissions on health and the environment," said Dr Saif Al Ghais, director - EPDA.
A number of staff inspectors were dispatched to the site where they extensively studied the reasons behind the sudden and unexpected emissions, he added. "Stringent action shall be taken against the factory management."
Precautionary measures shall also be ensured to avoid repetition of such hazardous emissions that pose a grave risk to public health and the local environment, Dr Ghais stated.
Initial investigations blamed the emissions on a technical default in the factory, he disclosed. "Though there is a possibility for such incidents in all industrial institutions around the world, but the Authority in Ras Al Khaimah does not tolerate anything that badly affects the environment or public health."
Staff inspectors reported that the technical default has resulted in the accumulation of a large amount of dust in the factory filters, Dr Ghais explained. "This has led to the sudden release of large amounts of dust and harmful emissions."
However, investigations proved that the incident was not intentional or due to human fault or intervention, he pointed out. "The Authority has installed a number of surveillance cameras to monitor and control all the industrial institutions in the emirate, and ensure their compliance with the set rules."
The Environment Protection and Development Authority has instructed the company that runs the factory to conduct an internal investigation and submit a detailed report on the incidents.
"The company must mention in detail the reasons behind the blockage of the filter, accumulation of dust, and release of that huge amount of harmful emissions, based on which legal action shall be taken to avoid repetition of the incident."
The ministry of climate change and environment had earlier ordered the closure of a cement factory at the same Khor Khuweir area in the northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah for flouting rules.
The institution, ordered to be shut down for one month, proved to be involved in anti-environment violations. "The intensive regular inspection raids are meant to put in force all the federal regulations streamlining the work of cement institutions for a better environmental sustainability."
All quarries and cement factories in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah have recently been put under tighter surveillance with a new system that remotely monitors their activities in an instant and incessant way.
Dr Ghais said the system, which operates round the clock, consists of a number of environment cameras that cover 20 quarries and six cement factories. "Each and every quarry and cement factory to the north and south in the emirate is remotely monitored by four to eight HD surveillance cameras as per the total area and number of facilities."
This will help curb all anti-environment violations and come up with a quick action, he added, noting that 13 out of 33 quarries in the emirate could not help ending their business after failing to meet the set stringent environment standards.
"Only 20 quarries and crushing plants are operative in the emirate after meeting the conditions enforced by the environment protection and development authority, RAK, and ministry of climate change and environment."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com