Ajman disconnects power supply to bachelors’ flats in residential areas

AJMAN — Power was disconnected at labourers and bachelors’ accommodations in Al Bustan, Al Zahra, and Al Nuaimiya areas by the Ajman Municipality to force them to move to the Industrial Area. Due to complaints by the public and a report published in your favourite No.1 newspaper Khaleej Times on December 29, 2005, about the disturbance and insecurity caused by the labourers in residential areas, the municipality has decided to move them to industrial areas.

by

Afkar Ali Ahmed

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Published: Tue 30 May 2006, 11:24 AM

Last updated: Sat 4 Apr 2015, 1:53 PM

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Saif Salim Al Shamsi, Deputy Director of the Ajman Municipality, earlier gave these companies and owners of labourers’ accommodations a notice period of six months to move their

workers to industrial areas. May 1 was the last day of the notice, but they did not show any intention of cooperating with the civic body. The municipality, in coordination with the Ajman Police, warned 600 owners of bachelors and labourers’ accommodations in residential areas for the second time, giving them a one-week period, effective from May 8, to move to the Ajman Industrial Area. After the period of notice given to the companies expired and they failed to abide by the regulation, the municipality issued orders to cut off their electricity connection and then allowed the police to force them to move to the industrial areas.

He pointed out that there is a cooperative committee, comprising officials from the municipality and Ajman Police, recently formed to follow up on the shifting of bachelors and labourers to the industrial areas and enforcing the local law. The municipality, with the help of this committee, is making great efforts through its various inspection campaigns to ensure a healthy society and achieve maximum safety and security for the public.

Al Shamsi explained that many companies lease out traditional houses for their labourers in several residential areas in Ajman instead of establishing camps for them in the industrial areas. These labourers who live in residential areas among families cause disturbance, discomfort, lack of security and peace. The municipality and the police in various areas help in finding houses for labourers to compel them to move to industrial areas.

Saeed Humaid, Head of the Ajman Police Station Directorate, said that the presence of these houses is affecting the security and safety of the public, as “some Asian workers are allegedly causing public disturbance and indulging in ‘unethical’ behaviour that is not accepted in our conservative society.” He urged the public to cooperate with the police and the municipality to help in eliminating the number of these houses in the residential areas and districts.

Zuhair Mohammed, a Pakistani worker, said that following the municipality’s decision of moving the labourers to industrial areas, the room rents in the camps were hiked to double. It used to be Dh 800 a month, and now they are raised to Dh1,600. “What can we poor workers do to solve such a problem? We work hard in the heat and earn little money which is insufficient for our families’ expenses. How can we afford such a huge amount every month.”


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