Sharjah bans satellite dishes

SHARJAH // Residents who have satellite-TV dishes on their balconies, windows or roofs face fines of up to Dh500, in a move by the municipality to improve the emirate's appearance.

The civic body wants to remove all dishes, said Sultan Al Mualla, director general of Sharjah Municipality.

"Inspectors will issue a fine of Dh250 that must be paid in a week and, in case of delayed payments, the fine will be doubled to Dh500," said Sultan Al Mualla, the director general of the municipality.

"Already, circulars are being given to all building owners to have all these dishes down."

The campaign is one of many the municipality has launched this year to improve the emirate's appearance.

Others included a ban on hanging clothes in windows, and evicting bachelors from residential areas.

Abdul Aziz Al Mansouri, director of technical affairs at the municipality, urged residents to subscribe to cable providers, a service readily available in most buildings.

"We are also giving brochures to residents with details of the effects of using these dishes," Mr Al Mansouri said.

"The brochures are in English, Arabic, Hindi and Persian."

The rule banning satellite dishes was issued in 1997, along with the ban on hanging laundry outside.

Residents gave mixed reactions to the ban on dishes.

Most said satellite TV was the only means of keeping track of events in their countries, and watching their native programmes made them feel less homesick.

"Even if am to subscribe to the cables, no provider is offering Nigerian TV programmes like Multichoice and M Net that I can get on my dishes," said Sulah Bahoku, a resident of Nabba.

Others said they had not seen inspectors in their neighbourhoods, and many had not even seen the brochures announcing the ban.

"We think it will be like other campaigns to die away without any implementation," said a resident of Abu Shagara, who identified himself as Ahmed.

"Our budgets are already stretched with bills for the phones, internet and electricity, and we cannot afford another bill for cable subscriptions. Some of us will just give up on TV once this rule is enforced."

Khalil Ahmed, an Emirati who lives in Al Qasimia, agreed dishes were making the city look like a ghetto.

"We cannot sacrifice the look of a city just because some people want to keep watching their local programmes," Mr Ahmed said.

He said removing the satellite dishes would help some people to integrate into Emirati culture and learn the language by watching local television.

The public is urged to call the municipality hotline, 993, to report anyone who has not removed their dishes.

ykakande@thenational.ae