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Drive against labourers in Ajman residential areas

AJMAN — In response to a Khaleej Times report published on December 29 and the large numbers of public complaints on the accommodation of labourers in residential areas, the Ajman Municipality yesterday intensified its inspection campaigns in Al Humaidiya, Mushairif, Al Jarf, Hilaiwa, Al Naimia, and Al Bustan.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Saif Salim Al Shamsi, Deputy Director of the Ajman Municipality said that the municipality has intensified these inspection campaigns to force labourers to move to industrial areas. Many of the house owners and companies taking those houses on rent were warned earlier and given a grace period of two months to manage and find replacement for such houses in the industrial areas. After they failed to abide by the regulation, the municipality decided to cut power supply to their accommodations. The owners of these houses did not take any steps to ask the labourers to leave the accommodations after the two-month period given to them had expired. “The municipality will take further action against them if they refuse to cooperate with the civic body regulation,” he stressed.

Mr Shamsi explained that many companies rent traditional houses for its labourers in several residential areas in Ajman, instead of setting up proper labour camps for them in the industrial areas. These labourers, who live in residential areas among families, cause disturbance, discomfort, insecurity, and too much noise. To curb the menace of leasing residential houses as labour camps, the municipality had distributed circulars to real estate owners asking them to refrain from leasing their properties to companies for accommodating labourers. The municipality is coordinating with the Ajman Police stations in various areas to assist in implementing the rule and forcing labourers living in industrial areas to move to industrial zones.

Shamsi added that the municipality was making great efforts through launching various inspection campaigns to achieve maximum safety and security for the public. Brigadier Saeed Humaid, Director of Ajman Police stations said that a large number of complaints were received by the stations, which forwarded them to the municipality. “We prepared a report on the issue and have referred it to the municipality to take urgent action. Handling real estate issues is not the police’s concern, but mainly the municipality’s responsibility. The civic body should take action against these activities and curb the negative malpractices that affect the security of society,” he added.

Brig. Humaid said that the existence of these houses is affecting the security and safety of the public, as some Asian workers are causing public disturbance and practising unethical behaviour 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.

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