Al Qudra camping banned due to littering and misuse

Dubai - The municipality has been intensifying its efforts to crack down on littering in and around Al Qudra Lake.

Littering and irresponsible behaviour was the reason behind Al Qudra camping ban, the Dubai Municipality (DM) officials have revealed.
Abdulmajeed Sifaie, director of the waste management department at DM, said massive amounts of waste along with other violations prompted the civic body to issue the new rules "to control environmental violations causing pollution to the conservation reserve".
Recently, the municipality put up 35 new signboards that ban camping, bonfire, barbecue and dog walking among other activities at the Al Qudra Lake - the reserve that is home to over 175 species of birds. 
Al Sifaie said the department would collect up to 40 tonnes of waste on weekends as a result of wrong camping and barbecuing habits.
"If you calculate 1kg of waste per person, then that means we clean after about 40,000 visitors," Al Sifaie explained.
"People would camp then leave their tents behind, or build a bonfire directly on the ground and then leave the wood, which distorts the sand of the desert in the long run," said Al Sifaei, noting the massive amounts of trash left behind in the area that serves as a unique spot for barbecue picnics and wildlife spotting.
He noted that such violations also put animals' lives at risk given that the reserve is home to many species of animals.
The municipality has been intensifying its efforts to crack down on littering in and around Al Qudra Lake. After numerous awareness campaigns and adding 200 more trash cans, warning signboards and hiring over 20 cleaners, the municipality started imposing fines on littering.
"We tried as much as possible not to fine people. We opened the place to the public but sadly many people misused it," Al Sifaei noted. Violations will drag Dh500 fine that will be tagged on the car number plate. The amount of fine will be doubled every time the violation is repeated.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com
 

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