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DM decision welcomed

DUBAI — Welcoming the time-table announced by the Dubai Municipality to implement the phase-wise ban on smoking in public places, Ayoub Kazim, executive director of Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), said, "it's a step in the right direction. It should have been done long ago.

We are already enforcing the ban in DKV and DIAC. All the buildings and facilities in the two places are no smoking-zones. However, we have allocated some small places for students and faculty to smoke."

The ban in Dubai Knowledge Village was implemented two years ago. According to Kazim, the management is trying to work with the Environment, Health and Safety Department to curb smoking even outside the buildings. Smoking, for example, is not allowed in the food courts in the premises of these educational hubs, except for a small area.

Raj Kumar, Manager of the Emirates Billiards Centre in Abu Hail, which also has an internet cafe, said implementing the ban would be a difficult task.

"For a while now, we have stopped selling cigarettes. But I cannot completely restrict smokers from lighting up. I can ask them to leave if they persist, but that way I shall be losing business," he said.

• UAE