Beaches in Qatar are favourite hangout destinations for many residents, however, they are becoming increasingly polluted, especially during the holiday season as visitors leave behind large quantities of waste. We have recently published a news about Sealine Beach where we revealed shocking and disturbing video clips sent by our followers.

In line with this, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment represented by the General Cleanliness Department has recently stressed that it gives high importance on maintaining hygiene at beaches and islands because they are picnic spots, reported The Peninsula Qatar.

However, some private companies and workers who visit some of these public places have been found not complying with public hygiene law or behave in a manner that keeps public places not comfortable for other visitors.

Eid Al Fitr event is one of the occasions where people rush to beaches and public parks. Photos circulated on social media showed wastes scattered along the Sealine Beach left by workers who visited the beach during the holidays even though there are more than 60 small garbage containers, and 15 big containers in the location, said Safar Mubarak Al Shafi, Undersecretary for General Services Affairs at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment.

He further stressed that this is happening mainly because of lack of awareness, and companies are not providing necessary directives to the workers about the importance of keeping these public places clean and putting the wastes in designated containers.

Companies must provide these workers with waste bags to clean the places, the Undersecretary for General Services Affairs at the Ministry said.

Al Shafi added that the Ministry provides all necessary support including workers and equipment to maintain hygiene at the public places throughout the year as they receive a big number of visitors especially during the Eid, weekends and other official holidays.

Al Shafi stressed that General Cleanliness Department had launched a programme for cleaning beaches to cover all areas of the country, in particular during holidays, adding that the programme is being implemented smoothly without any impact on daily routine work of the Department.

Al Shafi said the Ministry will enforce the law and bring all those who violate the Public Hygiene Law, whether they are individuals or companies, to justice as the law stipulates severe punishments for breaking the law, including huge fines of up to QR25,000.

The law also recommends prison sentences of up to one year if serious transgressions of the law are proven.

Fines for minor violations have been increased fivefold, ranging from QR100 to QR500.

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Khadiza Begum

Content Writer

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