Compelled to live in dilapidated houses

AL AIN — It's been three years since the roof of Jumaa Harib Al Kaaby's house collapsed, but the family is forced to continue living there.

By A Staff Reporter

Published: Sun 12 Feb 2006, 10:05 AM

Last updated: Sat 4 Apr 2015, 6:46 PM

The house which was built in 1978 is on the verge of collapsing now.

Obeid Khamees Al Kaaby, the elder son of the late Khamees Al Kaaby, the house owner, said that cement blocks continuously fall down from the walls. He pointed out that three sisters had been seriously injured when the roof collapsed.

"Since we have limited income, we could not afford a new house. We complained and made many requests to the local authorities to repair it," said Obeid.

The Director-General of the General Engineering Administration at Al Ain Municipality had sent a report to the Municipality Deputy explaining the condition of the house in 2003, he said, adding that the report asked the civic body to offer Dh20,000 to the family to rent a temporary accommodation until the work on the new house is completed.

Obeid said that his house and 399 other residences in Al Salamat area near Al Ain needs to be rebuilt by the Works Department.

He appealed to officials to find a way for his family to live safely until they can move into their new house.

"Nobody helped us though I went and met many people," he said, commenting on the indifference of the authorities.

Meanwhile, 48 UAE families who vacated their old homes at Al Maqam area on the directions of the Al Ain Municipality four years ago are yet to be rehabilitated by the civic body in new houses. They had apparently been assured that the new houses would be ready in a year. The Al Ain Municipality had given each family money to cover one-year rent as a stop gap arrangement. However, their period of stay has already extended to four years.