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Mixed response to ad slips decision

DUBAI - A majority of residents welcomed Dubai Municipality’s decision to crack down on firms and individuals sliding sticker advertisements under doors, placing them on cars or sticking them in public places.

From July 15, the civic body will slap fines on such people on charges of contributing to littering, Khaleej Times reported on Wednesday. Abdul Majeed Abdul Aziz Al Sifai, Director of Waste Management Department at the municipality, had said that the crackdown on cheap advertising was part of a new anti-littering campaign to be launched next month.

Several residents and Khaleej Times readers have applauded the initiative while some others are taking it with some reservation.

Many said the decision should be enforced in Sharjah as well, since the residents there are facing a flood of such stickers at their doorsteps. “The moment I open my door when I comeback from office, I am showered with leaflets, stickers, housemaids’ and tuition ads. Very annoying,” one reader wrote on KT website.

Another reader, Zakir, opined that fines should be slapped on people sticking posters and advertising accommodation facilities as well. “Etisalat should join hands with the Dubai Municipality and call on mobile numbers available in the posters and fine them on their phone bill after verification,” he suggested.

However, Murtaza, a Dubai resident, said the crackdown should only be on those who do illegal activities. He also suggested that there should be some alternative mechanism for genuine firms to increase their local business.

However, there were some people who doubted the successful implementation of the ban. One of them said the penalties for sliding stickers under the doors could only prompt the distributors to knock on the doors and offer their services. “If it happens so, this will lead to serious security threats in future. I hope the authorities will look into it,” the reader added.

A cleaner in Al Quoz, who did not wish to be named, said he used to be paid for helping different outlets to distribute their sticker ads in nearby communities. “Stickers are especially useful when people are new to an area. But, yeah, people generally throw them away after noting down the numbers.”

Pratheesh Prakash, a driver, said it would be great if residential buildings have notice boards where small-time businesses are allowed to put up stickers.

sajila@khaleejtimes.com

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