Nearly 4,000 men were evicted from a residential suburb in Sharjah after a complaint about the number of bachelors in the area.
Sharjah Municipality released the figure on Wednesday, two weeks after it began door-to-door checks in Qadisiya, a low-rise district of ageing villas north of the city centre.
Officials found significant overcrowding in run-down homes, with as many 20 people per residence.
The inspections led to "3,936 bachelors, labourers and illegal tenants being evicted from 185 homes", said Thabet Al Traifi, head of Sharjah Municipality.
Landlords and tenants were issued notices for the partition of accommodation, sub-letting, overcrowding, exposed wiring and other breaches of the law
“One hundred and sixty-one houses were shut down, while landlords and tenants were issued violation notices for the unauthorised partition of accommodation, sub-letting, overcrowding, exposed wiring and other breaches of the law."
Officials began clearing out tenants on September 27 after an Emirati woman phoned Sharjah's Radio's Direct Line talk show.
She claimed she felt intimidated by the number of bachelors – a Gulf term for single working migrant men with families in their home countries – in the area.
After the call, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, ordered that single male residents living illegally in family neighbourhoods be removed.
Police in tactical gear joined municipal workers, while staff from Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority cut the power in some homes.
“Notices to cut off electric and water services were served to 169 more homes,” Mr Al Traifi said.
Inspections will continue to include other family neighbourhoods, he said.
Two years ago, the spotlight fell on overcrowding when a fire tore through a large villa in the Maysaloon district, about three kilometres from Al Qadisiya. A woman and her son were killed in the blaze, which injured 64 others.
Officials said that about 70 low-income workers were living in the house at the time of the fire.
When The National visited Qadisiya two weeks ago, the men there, mostly from India and Pakistan, said they had lived in the area for decades, working as taxi drivers and manual workers in nearby Sharjah City.
Although some men with families expressed concerns about their wives and children going to corner shops at night, the women interviewed said they were not worried, having lived alongside the same people for years.
Officials did not say where the nearly 4,000 men were moved to.
But speaking as the clearance campaign began, Maj Gen Saif Al Shamsi, commander-in-chief of Sharjah Police, said many employers were obliged to provide suitable accommodation for their staff, instead of forcing them to find private homes on low salaries.
"I hope that everyone complies, including companies, by evicting the workers and moving them to areas designated for worker accommodation," he said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
SRI LANKA SQUAD
Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella
Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna
Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera
Vishwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay
THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Cherry
Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo
1/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
THE DETAILS
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Dir: Ron Howard
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson
3/5
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
Company Profile
Company name: Big Farm Brothers
Started: September 2020
Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur
Based: Dubai Investment Park 1
Industry: food and agriculture
Initial investment: $205,000
Current staff: eight to 10
Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets
