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Restaurants, cafeterias get nod for takeaways

AJMAN — The Ajman Municipality has permitted cafeterias and restaurants in the emirate to provide non-Muslim costumers with home delivery and takeaway services during the holy month of Ramadan.

by

Afkar Ali Ahmed

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Published: Thu 6 Oct 2005, 10:10 AM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 8:48 PM

Restaurants and cafeterias, which want to provide such services, must, however, pay the municipality Dh500 as fees for the permission.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Obaid Saeed Al Jarah, head of the Health Section in the civic body, said that there were several restaurants and cafeterias that had already been given the permission to provide such services to non-Muslims.

The municipality has instructed these restaurant owners not to open their doors to costumers to partake of their services inside their premises. They have, however, been allowed to cook and cater to non-Muslims or Muslims, who have a health reason and had been forbidden to fast.

The Health Section would be deploying inspectors to control the market and ensure that food sellers abided by the Municipality's regulations.

The working times of the inspectors have been extended and they would be paid over-time for the extra hours. The inspectors would make surprise visits to all cafeterias and restaurants in order to ensure that they didn't operate during the day time. "All residents and visitors are required to abide by the behaviour restrictions imposed on Muslims for the Holy month of Ramadan, to respect Muslim sentiments. People have been instructed not to publicly eat, drink or smoke during the fasting hours."

All restaurants and cafeterias would be allowed to open two hours before Iftar and to receive costumers who would like to break the fast at their premises. "The Municipality has allowed this service during the month of fasting in consideration of non-Muslims who depend on these restaurants for their daily food needs.

Raj Kumar, director of Al Ajyal restaurants in Ajman, said that he had got the permission of the Municipality because most of his costumers were non-Muslim bachelors who don't have the time to cook their daily meals.

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