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ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER ON SATURDAY PROBLEM 250,000 new workers expected this year DOHA: A quarter of a million foreign workers OF are expected to arrive afresh in the country PLENTY this year, while the influx (of foreign work- force) was 200,000 last year, according to Qatar’s Minister for Development Planning and Statistics. The country’s population was 1.4 million in 2008 and stood at 2.1 million by last year-end, H E Dr Saleh bin Mohamed Al Nabit told a key UN conference in New York yesterday. He said the rapid increase in population car- ried several risks for Qatar as it put immense pressure on basic services, among them schools, hospitals and low-cost housing. The Minister said building affordable housing stock to cope with the growing population was hard. Al Nabit was speaking at the ministerial meet- ing of the UN Social and Economic Council on Qatar’s National Plan for Human Resource Development and Population. The Minister reiterated that by 2030 Qatar will emerge as one of the advanced nations of the world relying on sustainable development. Al Nabit said that apart from pressure on basic services, rapid population growth was pos- ing problems on the cultural, economic, environ- mental and law and order fronts. Gaza toll tops 100 as truce efforts falter JERUSALEM: Israel’s aerial bombardment of Gaza claimed its 105th Palestinian life yes- terday as Hamas pounded Israel with rockets. Diplomatic efforts to end the hostilities gath- ered pace, with US President Barack Obama phoning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The United States remains pre- pared to facilitate a cessation of hostilities,” the White House said. But Netanyahu said he would not end his campaign until he had achieved his goal of stopping the Hamas fire. See also page 8 Minor tsunami hits Japan coast after quake TOKYO: A minor tsunami hit Miyagi pre- fecture in Japan early today after a strong 6.8-magnitude quake jolted the country’s northeastern Pacific coast, prompting adviso- THE ISSUE ries for regions including around the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant. A tsunami of 20 centimetres was observed at Increasing wealth and lavish Charity Association are involved in col- By wasting food people are not only 5.12 am in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture. lifestyles are contributing to lecting leftovers from buffets during ignoring the spirit of Ramadan but THE PENINSULA & AGENCIES Ramadan. also bringing a bad name to the coun- the problem of food wastage Experts say that almost half the food try. According to a recent report, GCC in Qatar. This phenomenon prepared during Ramadan goes into gar- countries are among the world’s top food peaks during Ramadan, the holy bage bins. One of the reasons for food wasters. Particularly high quantities of Design: Abraham Augusthy wastage is that many families are unable food are wasted during Ramadan, says month during which people are to estimate the quantity of food required the 2013-14 report from the Environment expected to observe restraint for their guests. Agency-Abu Dhabi. and avoid extravagance. Experts say that such wastage is unac- In 2013, Qatar Statistics Authority Today’s matches ceptable, especially during Ramadan, said that more than half of the municipal when Muslims are urged to give food to waste generated in the country contained he volume of leftover food that the poor and needy. discarded food. It said that according to BRAZIL VS NETHERLANDS (11PM) charities collect from homes, “It (wastage of food) is completely one estimate, one-third of all the waste hotels and mass Iftar venues against the spirit of Ramadan. During the generated in the country consists of dis- Tevery day is enough to feed 1,000 holy month people should spend more time carded food. Qatar produces more than people. So much food is thrown away dur- worshipping, reading the Quran and help- 2.5 million tons of municipal solid waste ing Ramadan that these organisations are ing the needy. The budget of families goes each year. unable to collect and distribute all of it. up sharply during Ramadan, which shows Experts say that the problem of food “We receive many calls on a daily basis, that people are not observing Ramadan wastage can be solved by bringing about and sometimes we find that it is beyond properly,” said Nesreen Walid, a household behavioural changes in people by raising Ramadan Timing our capacity to collect food,’’ said a senior expenditure expert. awareness of the issue. Religious scholars PAGEofficial at Sheikh 6 Eid Charity. She said that housewives should reduce and leaders can play a crucial role in sen- Todays Iftar: Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah for the quantity of food prepared for Iftar and sitising people to the issue. 06:29pm Humanitarian Services and Sheikh Eid use leftovers the next day. See also page 2 Tomorrow’s Imsak: 03:14am Saturday 12 July 2014 • 14 Ramadan 1435 • Volume 19 • Number 6124 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 JULY 12, 2014 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home Charities distribute leftovers among the needy Food wastage during Ramadan decried While Ramadan is a time BY FAZEENA SALEEM and MOHAMED from lavish buffets during Ramadan in an for giving and gratitude, guess the quantity of food we throw away, but it OSMAN attempt to minimise food wastage and to ben- is huge and more during Ramadan,” said a senior efit the needy. it can also be a month of official in a well-known hotel. DOHA: During the month of Ramadan, char- “We receive many calls daily, and sometimes overindulgence and waste, Food wastage during Ramadan is not a phe- ities collect enough leftover food from homes we find that it’s beyond our capacity to collect with too much surplus food nomenon unique to Qatar but common to the and hotels to feed at least 1,000 people every food,” said a senior official at Sheikh Eid Charity region. day. Association. being dumped into garbage According to a recent report, GCC countries On some days, there is so much leftover food While Ramadan is a time for giving and grati- bins. stand out as among the world’s top food wasters. at some places that these organisations find it tude, it can also be a month of overindulgence Particularly high quantities of food are wasted difficult to collect and distribute it, they say. and waste, with too much surplus food being during Ramadan, says the 2013-14 report from In 2013, Qatar Statistics Authority said that dumped into garbage bins. the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi. more than half the municipal waste generated in Food prepared for big banquets, where more Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab masjid (formally Arab News reported that the Makkah munici- the country contained discarded food. It said that than half of it is not consumed, is repacked and known as the Grand Mosque), and workers living pality collected 5,000 tonnes of discarded food in as per an estimate, one-third of the total waste distributed to low-income workers and families in the Industrial Area. the first three days of Ramadan this year. generated consisted of discarded food. for the early morning Suhour meal. Sheikh Eid Charity Association alone distrib- It said that according to Saudi Arabia’s Although there are no official statistics on food Charities urge families not to throw away food utes a minimum of 1,000 food packets every night Ministry of Commerce and Industry, 45 per- wastage during Ramadan, EcoMena, an advocacy after Iftar and Suhour, and instead share it with during Ramadan. cent of the waste during Ramadan consists of platform stressing the need for a clean and green the poor. Mohamed Hassan Al Ibrahim, director of food. It also revealed that 80 percent of the food environment in the Middle East, said in a recent These organisations deploy teams of volun- Sheikh Eid Charity Association, said, “The social prepared is unhealthy. report that almost half the food prepared during teers across the country during Ramadan to service centre at our organisation has deployed According to a study conducted by King Saud Ramadan in Qatar was expected to find its way collect leftovers. teams across the country to receive food from University, 30 percent of the four million dishes into garbage bins. During the holy month, by 8 pm every day they people who want to give away leftover food after prepared daily during Ramadan, worth about Qatar produces more than 2.5 million tonnes start getting calls asking them to collect leftovers having ceremonies at hotels, tents and homes. SR1.2m, go waste. Social scientists have called of municipal solid waste each year. According to from Iftar. The calls continue until early morn- We collect such food through the year, but during this “unacceptable behaviour”. the Qatar Green Building Council, more than ing the next day. Ramadan it increases, because people prepare Other reports suggest that more than 400 half the municipal solid waste generated in Qatar As soon as they receive a call from a home, more food and have many functions.” tonnes of food is wasted in Bahrain every day. is compostable, including leftover food. hotel or Ramadan tent asking them to collect “We give such food to the needy. We have a list Also, 25 percent of the food purchased in Bahrain Some hotels and restaurants told this news- leftovers, a team leaves in a specially designed of needy families to whom we provide dry food. during Ramadan is thrown away by households, paper that they were forced to throw away large vehicle.