In a bid to implement the environmental law and preserve the environment, the Director of the Environmental Inspection Department, Nada Al-Dabbashi, asserted that the deportation of the expat workers acted as a deterrent for those who used to throw construction waste in undesignated places.
In an interview with an Arab daily, Dabbashi stressed that the administration is constantly and strategically implementing inspection campaigns on land and marine environment, as well as, in residential, industrial and other areas to improve the environmental situation in the country. She added that the administration, through six special units in each governorate, is keen on applying the law to establishments and individuals either through organized inspection campaigns or through specific complaints. According to Dabbashi, the scheduled campaigns are carried out based on monthly plans, while the individual complaints are received via official social media accounts, direct reports, official sites, environmental police, among other channels.
Al-Dabbashi explained that the focus for the current month is on land violations at the request of the higher administration, and in cooperation with the municipality and the Ministry of Interior. As for camp violations, the municipality is responsible for their immediate removal. The fine is KD 250 dinars in the case of a reconciliation order, but if the violation reaches the prosecution, the fine is KD 5,000. The inspection for the succeeding months will focus on factories and garages according to Al-Dabbashi. The inspections on these facilities will be conducted on various governorates and will be supported by the departments from other governorates.
At least 32 judicial officers from the administration will cover all regions of Kuwait, and in several land and marine sectors, factories, and others. She said that the administration requires numerous officers, as the administration’s staff consists of 70 officials, and all of them are preferably from the judicial police capacity campaign. She added that a special course for the judicial police will be organized this month to appoint qualified employees, hoping that the number of judicial officers exceeds 100 to cover the entire county, and in order to accompany the environmental police and record the offenses.
As environmental violations are considerably diverse and numerous, in addition to seasonal violations, Al-Dabbashi said they increase according to the seasons. Land violations increase during winter, while marine violations increase in summer, especially in beaches and islands, where violators dump sand on corals, throw waste on beaches and others. She pointed out that some types of violations are frequent throughout the year, such as fishing in the bay and throwing waste and sewage into the rain drainage networks. Al-Dabbashi mentioned that one of the most serious violations is the sewage on the sea and the handling of dangerous chemicals, which posed challenges on the administration. The maximum penalty for violators totals one million dinars or death penalty for nuclear waste material, although these violations have never been detected in Kuwait.
Dabbashi confirmed that the authority is acting as a supervisory body for individuals and entities, while a violation is issued to the Ministry, as it is concerned with the monitor of the amount of waste that is drained into the ocean, such as the percentage of pollutants in the samples of rainwater.
With regards to violators, Dabbashi said that an expatriate is deported if caught committing the environmental crime, and so far, nearly 20 expatriates have been deported in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, particularly those throwing construction and liquid waste in unallocated spots. She pointed out that company policies are violated if it is proven that the worker directly committed the violation, and stressed that deporting the worker serves as a deterrent for other workers who committed similar violations. Meanwhile, citizens and company owners who are proven to have violated the environmental law will be issued a penalty ranging between KD 5,000 and KD 50,000. Procedures will be pursued upon issuance of the violation and the offender will submit a reconciliation order. If reconciliation is not requested, the case will be handed over to the Public Prosecution Office, where the maximum penalty will be implemented.
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