Dubai issues deadline to dismantle winter desert camps

DUBAI // With the rising temperature comes the end of outdoor living – and a warning from Dubai Municipality to residents to remove their winter camps or face having them demolished and being landed with a hefty bill.

The civic body has urged all those who had set up temporary winter camps in desert areas of Dubai to take them down and return the area to its natural state by April 30.

If campers fail to meet the deadline, municipality workmen will clear the site and charge the owners for the work.

Permits for setting up temporary camps in desert areas of the emirate were issued in October. According to the municipality, the permits are a way to support and promote traditional cultural activities that are the main components of Emirati life.

“The control over setting up desert camps is part of the civic body’s commitment to maintaining the environment and cleanliness of the desert land and comes within the efforts for maintaining the uninhabited areas in the emirate of Dubai,” said Khalid Salih, director of building department.

The municipality allowed camps no bigger than 400 square metres to be set up for six months.

“We used to set up camps anywhere in the desert areas near our neighbourhood,” said Ali bin Hamad, 19, who lives in Al Warqa.

“It is a way of enjoying and making the best of the cool weather with your friends. It is also a less formal setting than having guests over to your house, we are more relaxed here.”

Mr bin Hamad and his three brothers have been setting up a camp on their favorite sand dune for many years. It has become an annual tradition for them.

“We have the same spot every year, so people know where we are, we don’t like to be near the road, like most people,” Mr bin Hamad said.

“To be honest, people talk a lot about heritage, but really we just do it for fun and because we have some freedom out here. We never needed the municipality to tell us when to leave, the weather told us when it was time to pack up.

“But I understand why they do regulate it. I live here after all, I see the way the desert ends up when the camps leave.”

He said that if the weather allowed they would keep their camp right up until the deadline, but they would take it down sooner if it got too hot.

Municipality inspectors carry out regular checks to ensure that camp owners are sticking to environmental, health, planning and construction rules set out in the legislation.

In addition, campers are instructed that the land should be vacated by the deadline and be returned to its former state.

Teams from the Waste Management Department will carry out inspections and cleanliness-awareness programmes near to the camps in the desert areas.

“It is not just about trash, it is a safety matter,” said Faisal Al Awadi, who has been camping on Tripoli Street since he moved to Al Warqa five years ago.

“It was getting very crowded, not only were people littering everywhere, but it was becoming a safety issue with all the crazy off-roading. Many people were getting injured, we would see an ambulance almost every weekend,” said the 30-year-old Emirati businessman.

“I think it was a smart move that the Civil Defence set up their camp in the area, especially since they picked the location where most of the reckless driving was happening to set up their camp,” Mr Al Awadi said.

“I’ve already taken down my camp. Actually most of it got taken down by the storm a couple of weeks ago.”

He said that the major factor was the noise with all the homes near by. “I’m glad my house is farther away from here, I just can’t imagine how bad it gets for the houses near the camps.”

malkhan@thenational.ae