NEWS FROM THE UAE
SOURCE : THE NATIONAL/GULF TODAY
Fishermen join dumping fight
FUJAIRAH - SEP 16: Fishermen concerned about oil spills off the Fujairah coast are trying to catch ships dumping waste illegally.
The fishermen have photographed suspect vessels in an attempt to spur the authorities to take legal action against polluters.
A new oil slick emerged on Fujairah’s beaches yesterday, producing a layer of pungent-smelling sludge extending from hundreds of metres offshore to the coastline. The fishermen gave the authorities a set of photographs taken on Friday, which they claim shows a ship illegally dumping large amounts of oil for nearly an hour.
Officials from Fujairah Municipality said they were aggressively pursuing the case. Mohammed al Afham, the municipality’s general manager, said the city would do “whatever is necessary to find out who did this”.
“We will not hesitate to use the law to protect our coast and our environment,” he said.
Environmentalists say the frequent oil slicks off Fujairah’s coast are damaging the area’s delicate marine life, while hoteliers and sport and commercial fishermen complain that oil-blighted waters are costing them business.
“The official bodies are taking this incident very seriously as this is seriously affecting the tourism industry,” said Patrick Antaki, general manager of Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort.
The substance coming from the boat has not been identified. Independent experts said it was most likely excess crude oil or engine fuel mixed with water that the boat operators dumped rather than discharging it legally at proper disposal facilities.
The photos were taken by several fishermen, who requested anonymity, and sent to The National. The fishermen complained that in spite of their efforts to help the Port of Fujairah and Coast Guard catch the polluters, authorities had shown insufficient interest until now.
“The photo just shows how these ships do this in broad daylight,” one of the fishermen said.
Port of Fujairah officials could not be reached for comment.
According to Fujairah’s shipping industry regulations, people or ships that cause pollution near the Port of Fujairah or adjacent coastline can be fined Dh35,000 (US$9,528) and held responsible for clean-up charges and damage to life and property. Authorities have yet to prosecute any violators. They have long complained that ships illegally releasing oil and waste have eluded them by dumping at night or just beyond their jurisdiction.
Fujairah relies on a skeletal monitoring system, with only a few patrol boats and one space satellite that it shares with other Gulf states, making enforcement even more difficult. There has been scant documentation of vessels caught illegally releasing effluent off the coast of the emirate, which is host to the world’s second-largest refuelling port and services as many as 200 vessels at a time.
The photos show the vessel’s name and its registration number. According to ship registration records obtained by The National, the suspect vessel is an oil tanker managed by a company based in Saudi Arabia. The company could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.
Hoteliers and residents think the suspect vessel produced the slick that washed up on the beaches of several resort hotels on Sunday morning, including Le Méridien.
“I assume this slick is from the boat in question because coincidence would be a bit much,” said Mr Antaki. Staff from his and other hotels temporarily closed their beaches on Sunday to clean up the slick. Such measures usually cost tens of thousands of dirhams in expenses and lost business.
Because ships have not been fined for dumping, it is understood that it is cheaper and easier for vessels to discharge effluent into the ocean than dispose of it at waste-treatment facilities at the Port of Fujairah.
THE NATIONAL
Beggars, street vendors nabbed by Sharjah police
SHARJAH - SEP 16: A total of 18 street vendors, beggars and juveniles of various nationalities were nabbed in Sharjah since the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, according to Colonel Abdullah Mubarak Al Dokhan, Deputy Director of Sharjah Police.
The arrest was made by the security team of the Criminal Investigation Department of Sharjah Police. The security team recently conducted a campaign to arrest beggars and street vendors.
Lt Colonel Al Dokhan stated that street vendors and beggars were arrested while they were indulged in their illegal activities in shopping malls and mosques and the roads leading to various markets.
"While checking the legal status of the arrested vendors and beggars we have found out that some of them were illegally staying in the country. The illegals were referred to the Department of Naturalisation and Residency. We found out that some of them entered the country on a visit visa a few days before the start of the Month of Ramadan. This proved to us that they entered the country for begging during this Holy Month."
Lt Colonel Al Dokhan noted that the campaign will continue not only till the end of Ramadan but also during the Eid days.
"Many beggars exploit Eid days and other occasions, but we are working hard to curb the negative phenomenon of beggars and street vendors. People should never sympathise with them and believe their false claims. These beggars are not worthy of giving money to them. He said that any beggar seen on any of the Sharjah streets should be notified to the police," Colonel Al Dokhan said.
GULF TODAY