Ban thin plastic bags
Dear Sir,
I have been living in Doha for the past eight years and I have found it to be one of the safest and cleanest cities in the world. I have witnessed the tremendous growth Qatar has seen in the last few years. It is a remarkable achievement by any standards. The state is keen to provide the best facilities for its citizens and expatriates alike.
But there are areas that the government needs to pay greater attention to. Environment tops the list.
I am pained by the widespread use of wafer-thin plastic bags by almost all the shops in the country. Such bags, a major pollutant, are used indiscriminately these days. If the use of paper, cloth and reusable thick plastic bags is made compulsory, it will go a long way in protecting Qatar’s environment, particularly its marine life.
Many plastic wastes now find their way to sea despite strict controls on littering. It is time to ban thin plastic bags.
We can do it here, all we require is an initiative. I appeal to all Gulf Times readers to stop using thin plastic bags and embrace environment protection efforts.
M Natarajan, Al Khor
Warning signs
Dear Sir,
The situation in Iraq is escalating out of control. Several military observers believe that the lightning strike by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is a prelude to a much wider conflict involving the West and Iran.
The unrest in Iraq, if left unchecked, will end in a bloodbath of immense proportions, leading to the balkanisation of the entire Middle East.
Sectarian violence will spread like wildfire causing a political inferno that no amount of military force will be able to subdue. An Iraqi civil war will even serve as a trigger to ignite a global conflict.
The holy month of Ramadan has begun and yet Muslims are engaged in an orgy of wanton destruction. This is totally and utterly un-Islamic. Military intervention by the West will trigger a backlash that its forces will be unable to contain.
It is imperative that the Arab League and all Muslim nations deploy a task force to stabilise the situation. Failure will lead to anarchy from which Iraq will never recover.
Farouk Araie, [email protected]
Please send us your letters By e-mail" [email protected]