The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) reported 345 environmental violations in 2018 and issued 900 warnings as part of its effort to put an end to such violations and to protect the environment, QNA reported.
Omar Salem al-Nuaimi, director of the Environmental Protection, Nature Reserves and Wildlife Department at the ministry, said patrols work round the clock across the country to ensure that environmental laws are enforced. They also conduct cleaning campaigns across the country.
The authorities concerned have called on all companies and individuals to co-operate with the ministry in conserving the environment and saving wildlife.
Al-Nuaimi said wildlife and environmental protection patrols detected various violations last year, including non-compliance with Ministerial Decision No 277 of 2017 regarding the ban on camel grazing, unauthorised excavation, entry of vehicles in wild areas, dumping untreated sewage water in the open desert, transporting hazardous materials in unprotected vehicles, and setting up farms and winter camps without proper licences, among others, according to a press statement issued by the MME.
He also informed that the department distributed and planted around 4,000 seedlings of wild plants and conducted various cleanup campaigns in the wild. This was in addition to facilitating various administrative transactions for the public, such as issuing 1,768 certificates to import and export birds, animals and related products, as well as 663 passports for falcons.
Moreover, he pointed out that the winter camping season witnessed the registration of a large number of camps - 1,121 - in the country.
