With the Eid al Adha holidays round the corner, Muscat Municipality said it will keep a close watch at all places in the city against litterbugs.
“In addition to surveillance cameras, municipal inspectors will patrol all places, especially beaches and parks to ensure that the city is kept clean,” said an official at the directorate of cleaning affairs.
He said that despite fines, littering — done intentionally or not — increases during holidays.
“It is not just a temptation or ignorance that leads to littering, but should be seen as disrespect to law. This cannot be tolerated,” he said.
Muscat Municipality has imposed a fine of RO 100 for the first offence.
Spitting in public areas is also punishable with a fine of RO 20, according to Municipal
Order 55/2017. Throwing branches of trees, plants and used furniture into a bin will attract a fine of RO 50 and it will increase to RO 100 if the waste includes building materials.
Beaches, parks, parking spaces and sidewalks are the main areas of littering that include food wrappers, soft drinks and water bottles, plastic bags, handbills, cigarette butts, tissues, papers and others.
Cameras have already been installed at different places to monitor campers and visitors to picnic spots.
RO 100 penalty
The municipality and other agencies involved in keeping the city tidy spend a significant amount of money in clean-up operations.
People who are aware of dangers of littering often take more effort to dump trash in bins.
“The mere fact that you generate trash and then throw it away like in the case of barbecuing and leaving the waste at the place,” he said.
For any individual found lighting an open fire or grilling in areas not specifically designated for such activities, they will receive a penalty up to RO 100.
On top of the fine, the immediate removal of the offending objects must occur, and in the case further damage arises, additional fines and punishments may follow.
While urging people to dispose waste from the animals sacrificed during Eid al Adha festival at designated spots only, the official said that it will facilitate easy transfer to landfill sites.
He also called upon the public to use slaughterhouses for sacrifice as veterinarians conduct checks before and after slaughter to ensure that the meat is safe for consumption.
At the same time, an official at the Royal Oman Police said that throwing cigarette butts out of moving vehicle is an offence. “Motorists and others who toss cigarette butts out of their vehicle windows will be fined. This is treated as an offence like any other littering”, he said.
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