Describe the problem of litter in the UAE and discuss some solutions
Sharjah municipality considers huge increase in littering fines
The fine for littering in Sharjah is expected to be raised from Dh200 to Dh2,000, a senior municipality official said on Tuesday. It's become common to see plastic bags and bottles strewn around not only in the industrial areas and commercial areas of the emirate, but also in residential neighbourhoods. Recently, residents who live near the Buheirah Corniche have increasingly faced the problem of people leaving litter which often ends up in the lagoon. To put an end to the littering, Sharjah Municipality and the semi-private environmental company Bee'ah are coordinating to draft a new law to punish people who litter. The current fine for littering ranges from Dh200 to Dh250, but the new draft law aims to increase the penalty to Dh2,000.
Naina from Sharjah said, “It is high time that fines were imposed for littering. If a Dh 200 fine already exists why are people still littering? Are there any officers checking on people littering and fining them? Most areas are untidy and plastic bottles, cans etc are seen lying on the streets. I have seen people drinking soft drinks and throwing the can on the road even though there is a trash bin nearby. Nobody is worried about having to pay fine or of being caught littering. People have to change their attitudes and understand that they need to keep their locality clean. An awareness programme has to be initiated first. People need to be told that littering would mean paying a heavy fine.”
Matthew from Dubai commented that even a small amount of litter can make a big difference.” A soda can tossed on a lawn or accumulated cigarette butts along the curb degrade the neighborhood and encourage more litter. Nobody likes to live in a community with trash lying around everywhere. I believe that