(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Sanaullah Ataullah | The Peninsula
Doha: The Ministry of Municipality and Environment, represented by the General Cleanliness Department is conducting a massive campaign to create awareness among people about new Public Hygiene Law that will come into effect from Thursday.
'Inspectors armed with judicial power are ready to round-up the violators of the Public Hygiene Law No. 18 of 2017 at all municipalities, Safar Al Shafi, Director of General Cleanliness Department told The Peninsula.
He said that the violators will have to pay the fines at the municipality's office where the violation has taken place, within stipulated time otherwise they will be taken to the police station for further legal action under the law.
'As per the mechanism of law enforcement, the inspectors will book the violation and issue a copy to the violators to pay the fine, said Al Shafi.
Speaking about the awareness campaign, Al Shafi said that the Ministry has launched a massive programme through media to educate all segments of the community including workers.
'Details about new law have been published in all local newspapers including Arabic, English and those publishing in other languages of expatriate communities, said Al Shafi.
He said that a local radio has also been involved to broadcast the awareness programme in various expatriate languages including Urdu, Hindi, Nepali and Bangladeshi in a bid to approach maximum number of people.
'To intensify the awareness campaign, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment is all set to place billboards and posters carrying picture messages at streets and roadsides across the country, said Al Shafi.
He said that the designs of posters and billboards have been approved and it will be issued soon adding that the picture messages will help educate easily people about violations, regardless their languages and qualifications.
'The Ministry is also preparing a small video carrying message about violations that will be released on local TVs and social sites. Under the campaign, leaflets are also being prepared to distribute at public places including shopping centres and public parks and other areas of public gathering, said Al Shafi.
He said, workshops will be organised at labour camps to educate workers about the law and inspectors will visit worksites to create awareness.
Speaking on the provisions of the law regarding the punishment, Al Shafi said that the new public hygiene Law stipulates severe punishments including hefty fines upto QR25,000 and jail sentences up to one year in case of serious violations.
The fines for some non-serious violations that came under category of reconciliation have been also increased in five times from QR100 to QR500 in a bid to curb violations and maintain hygiene at public places.
'The non-serious violations like throwing cigarette butts, papers, empty bottles, cans of cold drink at roads, public places and beaches and spitting on footpath, road or public places invites QR500 fine, he said.
The law allows reconciliation in a total of 15 non-serious violations. Explaining serious violation, Al Shafi said that a non-serious violation can become serious, leading to further legal action by court where the provisions stipulate hefty fines and jail sentence.
Giving example, he said that throwing or leaving garbage at public park is considered non-serious violation and it is reconcilable but if someone is caught throwing a heap of garbage would be subjected to stricter legal procedure by court as there is no reconciliation in such cases. 'The new public hygiene law No 18 of 2017 stipulates a fine of QR300 to QR6,000, according to the nature and seriousness of violation under the reconciliation provision, said Safar Al Shafi.
The reconcilable violations include throwing tissue papers, garbage, empty bottle or spiting on footpath, road or public places invites QR500 fines. Leaving waste, garbage bags, left-over foods or papers in front of houses, roads or public places levy QR300 fines.
A fine of QR500 is imposed on cleaning or hanging carpets on windows or balconies facing road or public places. Throwing waste of trees or gardens on roads or public places also invites QR500.
Releasing used water to public road levy QR300 fine. Throwing animal waste on unauthorised places attracts a fine of QR500.
Occupying fields, road, streets, thoroughfare, streets, sidewalk , passageway, public yards, public parking with abandoned vehicles, old equipment or part of it, also invites fine of QR1,000.
Throwing or leaving waste, garbage bag, empty bottle in front of commercial shops or out of garbage containers placed for this purpose attracts QR500 fine. Throwing or leaving food waste in public places or beaches, public places or open land attracts fine of QR500.
Not covering the load on vehicles properly that may fall or leak anything from there, invites fine QR2,000. Releasing drainage water from suction hole, manhole or delivery pipe not fixed properly is caused fine QR1,000.
Washing cars, machines or other transport vehicles at unauthorised places invites fine QR300. Leaking any substance from vehicles while running on public road is caused QR3,000 fine.
Leaving, dumping or getting rid construction and demolition waste, solid waste from excavation at unauthorised places invite fine of QR6,000. Releasing drainage water at unauthorised places attracts fine of QR5,000.
Al Shafi said that the punishments in non-reconcilable cases include four types depending on the nature of violation according to the Article No. 15 of the Law. A jail term of up to 1 year and penalty fines which shall not exceed twenty five thousand (QR25,000) or one of these penalties, a term of up to six months' imprisonment and penalty fines which shall not exceed ten thousand (QR10,000) or one of these penalties.
'The law also includes penalty fines which shall not exceed twenty five thousand (QR25,000), penalty fines which shall not exceed ten thousand (QR10,000), said Al Shafi.
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