SHARJAH // Residents are urging authorities to do more to keep streets clean and clear away rubbish they say is becoming a health problem.
Piles of uncollected rubbish bags and waste from households, businesses and building sites are still common, despite the efforts of the municipality and Beeah, the company responsible for removing the city’s trash.
Bins have been placed along roads but some residents do not bother using them or they are overflowing, said Mohammed Jibril, who lives in Al Nabha.
“Areas where these rubbish cans are placed get marked forever by the rubbish that falls on the ground after it gets full and not collected on time,” Mr Jibril said.
“The smell emanating from them often reaches us even in our apartments, and is disturbing if you are eating.”
Rubbish dumped on the street builds up, attracting rodents, cockroaches and other pests, he said.
“Authorities should hold awareness campaigns to educate people living and working in these areas to stop dropping litter, encourage their children not to drop litter and start to report violators whenever seen,” said Mr Jibril.
The municipality takes a dim view of littering and recently increased the penalty for spitting in the street to Dh500 from Dh200.
Throwing litter from a car window also carries a Dh500 fine.
Residents in Al Qarayan, Al Shuwayeheen, Butina and Abu Shagara also complain of people dumping their trash in communal areas and even corridors.
Moses, who lives in Butina, said poor hygiene and irregular collections were a concern for many residents and their families.
“We are paying a lot of rent and not getting back our expectations on cleanliness and hygiene. For many days the building’s corridors go uncleaned and the building watchman is not to be seen anywhere,” he said.
Yousef Al Ahmad, director of the environmental services department at the municipality, said the civic body was keen to maintain and observe the cleanliness of the emirate.
He said a law that will be implemented soon will require all building owners to have a contract with at least one pest-control company, to be chosen from a list of 60 that had been approved.
But before the law comes into effect, municipality inspectors would continue to respond to any calls about dirty buildings and public areas, conducting site visits and taking any necessary action.
“The same law will ban any individual from littering or writing graffiti on any buildings,” said Mr Al Ahmad.
Last month, authorities in Ajman announced tough fines of up to Dh10,000 for anyone caught dropping litter on the emirate’s beaches or Corniche as part of plans to clean up the popular beauty spots.
The fines, the highest in the UAE, are part of clampdown on visitors who leave rubbish on beaches, particularly at weekends.
In 2009, Sharjah Municipality adopted a no-tolerance approach to help clear industrial areas of piles of garbage, wrecked vehicles and discarded car parts that sometimes obstructed traffic.
Inspectors were sent out to find rubbish and issue warning letters to companies that failed to keep their premises clean.
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