ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 17 August 2013 10 Shawwal 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5794 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY Energy-saving devices at mosques, schools DOHA: Tenders are to be floated soon to install energy- and water-saving devices in mosques and government schools across the country to help rationalise and reduce the consumption of these resources. Once the new devices are in place, electricity and water consumption in mosques and gov- ernment schools would drop 37 percent and four percent, respectively, Al Sharq reported yesterday. The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation, popularly known as Kahramaa, the local public utility, is busy coordinating with the Ministry of Environment to develop new technical standards and specifications for air conditioners, light bulbs and tubes and electri- cal appliances like washing machines so as to make sure that only energy-saving appliances and equipment are imported for use in the country, the daily said. Also, there are plans to encourage the use of solar heaters in homes and commercial places in winter since that would help save electricity to a large extent. Light rain likely today in parts of Qatar DOHA: Weathermen said yesterday there are chances of light rain in some parts of the country today amid high levels of humidity. The weather would be humid and misty at first, becoming hot and hazy with scattered clouds in some areas and chances of rain, the Meteorology Department forecast. Southwesterly winds would blow at speeds LIFE WITHOUT of three to 12 knots during the day, reaching 17 knots later. Maximum temperatures forecast for today are 43 degrees Celsius in Dukhan and Abu Samra, 42 degrees in Doha, Al Khor, Mesaieed and Al Wakra, and 40 degrees in Al Ruwais in the north. Minimum temperatures would hover between 30 and 33 degrees Celsius. Doha-based engineer dies in Cairo crackdown DOHA: An Egyptian engineer working with a construction company here reportedly died in Wednesday’s military action in Cairo while on a visit with his family to celebrate THE ISSUE Eid Al Fitr. Company officials said they came to know of his death from his brother in Cairo, who did not give further details. They said reports of The influx of a large number places. More workers are now being moved Area, which was closed down long ago. The their colleague’s tragic death were still uncon- of single foreign workers to to camps in the Industrial Area and on the twin theatres in Gulf cinema, the only afford- firmed as it was not known how he died and outskirts of the city, which has led to a short- able venue for low-income expatriates, have what he was doing at the venue of the sit-in the country has posed a major age in labour accommodations. remained closed for more than seven months by supporters of ousted president Mohammed challenge in terms of providing These crowded camps have witnessed sev- now. Mursi. housing and entertainment eral incidents of crime and scuffles between Souqs and shopping malls remain the only “All I can say is that he left with his family people from different nationalities. Only last places for single workers to hang out, but on Eid vacation for Cairo a few days before the facilities to people from week, an Indian died in a labour camp in Al their entry to such places is restricted dur- festival and now we are hearing that he died. I different cultural and ethnic Sailiya, reportedly stabbed by a Nepalese ing weekends. can’t confirm,” said the official. backgrounds. worker, in a suspected incident of group Eid and summer festivals organised by rivalry. Qatar Tourism Authority also seem to ignore 75 killed in Egypt; more Illegal activities such as gambling and this segment of society, with very few pro- hooch-making have often been reported from grammes and activities for them. Islamist rallies planned ew countries in the world have such labour camps across the country. Most festival venues are reserved for fami- a diverse mix of expatriate workers Lack of entertainment facilities for sin- lies and shows are not accessible to or afford- CAIRO: Backers of Egypt’s ousted president within small geographical bounda- gle workers seems to be worsening the able for low-income workers. Mohammed Mursi pledged to stage daily Fries as seen in Qatar and other Gulf situation. Authorities are aware of the seriousness demonstrations as they ended a day of angry countries. Authorities had unveiled plans to build of the issue, but there is need for a more protests in which at least 75 people were The presence of large groups of single exclusive residential complexes and enter- in-depth study into its social and psycho- killed yesterday. In the capital, streets were PAGEworkers in residential 6 areas has been a mat- tainment facilities for single workers, but logical aspects that should lead to practical virtually deserted except for demonstrators ter of concern in Qatar, which eventually led such projects are yet to see the light of day. solutions. and security forces, with the army deployed to a ban on labour accommodations in such There used to be a cinema in the Industrial See also page 2 at key points in the city. See also page 8 THE PENINSULA & AFP www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 AUGUST 17, 2013 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home Entertainment beyond reach Low-income workers have few options to unwind as recreation and travel are too expensive for them BY AZMAT HAROON undreds of low-income single foreign work- ers throng the Grand HHamad Street in Doha every Friday. The crowds, all of them men, start gathering after Friday prayers and spend most of the afternoon in the area, usually in cafeterias or strolling from one shop to another. By evening, buses begin ferrying them back to labour accommodations in different parts of the country. These low-income expatriate workers comprise a large major- ity of Qatar’s population. In 2012, more than 94,000 labourers were recruited from overseas for ongoing development projects in the coun- try, statistics from the Recruitment Department at the Ministry of Labour reveal. Yet, unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of labourers in the coun- Pics: Shaival Dalal try do not have proper entertain- from other Asian countries. are able to relax only when they ment facilities to avail of during Adding to the woes of these visit their countries. their only day off in a week. labourers is the fact that they are “I usually go home after two The twin theatres of Gulf Cinema being pushed to the outskirts of years. That’s the only time I have used to be a popular place to spend the city following a ban on labour fun or relax because in Qatar some time, and according to some accommodations in residential I don’t have any other activity estimates more than 60,000 peo- areas. In 2012 alone, 752 accom- besides work,” Sanjiv, a labourer ple used to visit the cinemas every modations were evacuated in dif- from Nepal, said. month. ferent parts of the country, official He said his company did not Tickets at the cinemas were figures suggest. provide any transport facility on priced at between QR15 and QR25, Qatar Population Status 2012 their day off, which made going the lowest in the country. says: “According to the Ministry of anywhere difficult. The cinemas also provided an Municipality and Urban Planning, “Taking a taxi is too expensive, opportunity for labourers, the the number of cases in which law and if we have to take a Karwa bus majority of them from South Asia, has been fully implemented to pre- on our free day, we have to wait for to step out of their accommodation vent singles’ housing near families a long time because of the rush,” for some form of amusement and has reached 460.” said the 32-year-old, who lives near except work.” can be a cause of depression. Add not just work. Some labourers say that because Al Sailiya. Statistics reveal that in the semi- to that the fact that they don’t have But the theatres were closed of a heavy workload and living in He said that every once in a skilled and unskilled category, as any healthy activities or spare time, some seven months ago without any accommodations that have increas- while some of his friends together many as 94,043 labourers were then certainly many health prob- prior notice, and there is no sign of ingly become more crowded, they borrowed someone’s car for a day to recruited last year, including 20,808 lems can result from it.” them reopening soon. visit different places in the country. drivers, 18,602 cleaners and 17,578 She said that sometimes, because The other options for the labour- But labourers are now not being technicians. of work pressure and an unhealthy ers are either the malls or beaches. issued driving licences for light and Other workers who came to lifestyle, patients can resort to neg- Although there is no official ban on heavy vehicles. A circular issued by Qatar in 2012 were carpenters ative behaviour. labourers entering local malls and the Department of Traffic to driv- (14,618), brick makers (12,284), “Some people start smoking, souqs, security guards often shoo ing schools recently asked them not foremen (10,273), engineers (9,956), others drink too much, and we them away when they see many to register labourers from July 1 salesmen (9,659) and painters have also seen cases being trans- families inside the places.