By Ayman Adly/Staff Reporter

Members of the Central Municipal Council (CMC) yesterday called upon the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) to complete road development works as early as possible to reduce traffic accidents.
As the CMC resumed the session after the summer break, a large number of the members reiterated the demand that the development of Salwa-Mesaieed road and Rwadat Rashed-Umm Al Zubar road be completed as soon as possible to avoid “the almost daily loss of lives because of the several road accidents taking place there.”
“Six young people, some of them my relatives and neighbours, were killed in a road accident in Ramadan at Rwadat Rashed-Umm Al Zubar due to the bad condition of the road. On the same road another accident took place killing one person and severely injuring another recently,” said Mohamed Zafir al-Hajiri.
Saeed bin Ali al-Meri expressed concern that sometimes road work is left unfinished resulting in lack of necessary services such as lighting and emergency lanes.
He demanded that officials should provide a clear timeline on project schedule.
CMC vice-chairman Jassim al-Malki suggested that the council could invite officials from Ashghal to further
discuss  at future sessions.
Among the issues taken up yesterday was a suggestion submitted by Mohamed al-Shafi regarding the vacant pieces of state land adjacent to houses, which are usually described as excess and left
without proper use.
Al-Shafi said that Qataris wishing to buy and utilise such plots from the government to expand their houses faced a lot of red tape.
CMC chairman Saud al-Hinzab said that practically such plots should be given to the owners of the adjacent houses. “For example some pieces measure 40m x 3m. Who will buy such a piece; it is only useful to expand the adjacent house. Otherwise, it may be left neglected and accumulate garbage and refuse materials, causing harm to the
inhabitants,” he said.
Hamad Lahdan al-Muhannadi suggested that a comprehensive survey should be conducted to list and register these plots of land along side the requests of the beneficiaries. “A reasonable estimate of the land’s price should be made but it should not be based on the market fluctuation or speculation,” he said.
Al-Hinzab suggested that a correspondence on this regard should be sent to the office of HE the Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning.
The majority of members approved the proposal.
The council also passed recommendations to control the excessive stronghold of some Asian expatriates on the market of heavy building equipment and trucks as they make huge money transferring it outside the country beside their manipulation of prices and charges. “Stricter control should be exercised by authorities concerned on the processes of money transfer,” he said.
Another issue discussed at the meeting was a demand to issue smart health cards to workers in the food industry and services to avoid any
potential manipulation.
The council suggested that such people should go for health checkup after staying outside the country to ensure that they are free from any transmittable disease. Similarly, domestic helpers such as maids and drivers, should be issued similar health certificate, the CMC recommended.
The council stressed that municipalities in the country should conduct regular and sudden inspection campaigns to ensure food safety.
Representatives from the US embassy in Doha were guests at yesterday’s session and they appreciated the democratic manner in which discussions were conducted.