ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 25 May 2013 15 Rajab 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5710 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY Qatar third in sending Arab tourists to Egypt DOHA: The tourist inflow into Egypt has been growing with Qataris ranking third among Arab tourist arrivals in the country, after visitors from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Some 2.5 million Arab tourists arrived in Egypt last year, and the country’s tour- ism ministry expects the number to soar to three million by this year-end. Arab tourist arrivals totalled only 1.8 million in 2011. In the first quarter of this year (January to March), Arab tourist arrivals in Egypt totalled a little over 520,000, up 7.5 percent over the corresponding period of 2012, when the figure was 484,000. Arab tourists have larger stays in Egypt as compared to their counterparts from the rest of the world, the average being 11 nights in 2011, Al Sharq reported yesterday, citing tourism ministry figures. Arab tourists spent 7.4 million nights in Egypt in 2012, up 14.4 percent over the pre- vious year, and their average spending per night was $83.7. Egypt’s tourism minister, Hisham Zazou, said that his country banked more on tour- ists from the GCC countries and gave them much importance because the region con- tributed hugely to the tourism industry. ROOFTOP He said he expected tourist arrivals from the oil-rich GCC region to breach the one million-mark by year-end. Syria regime to attend peace talks: Russia MOSCOW: Syria’s ally Russia yesterday said the Damascus regime had agreed to attend an international peace conference on the crisis that world powers hope will DANGERS take place in Geneva in June. Diplomatic efforts to hold a conference first proposed by Moscow and Washington on May 7 gained further steam when US THE ISSUE Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov agreed by tel- ephone to meet in Paris on Monday to dis- cuss progress in getting the sides to talk. Aerial photographs of some some suburbs, for a threadbare discussion haul its owners or tenants over the coals. Syria’s main opposition group, the and called for corrective action. The legislation says that buildings that Western-backed National Coalition, said expatriate-dominated working- The CMC said that more than being a spoil the landscape and beauty of an area it wanted to see “goodwill gestures” from class localities in Doha and some matter of how pathetic old neighbourhoods also attract its provisions. Assad. “We want to make sure that when of its suburbs have alarmed looked from high-rise towers, helicopters and The panel is also responsible for taking we enter those negotiations the bloodshed planes, the issue needed to be treated as one appropriate action if buildings are old, dilapi- in Syria will stop,” a spokesman for the members of the Central Municipal that involved the safety of the environment dated and abandoned, or left incomplete. group said. Council (CMC), the public and people. Buildings that are neglected and used by See also page 8 representative body, as they There seems to be some confusion about children as play areas, or house criminals and who is responsible for keeping rooftops clean runaway workers, or used for immoral activi- WHO to help Saudi show the rooftops of old buildings and hazard-free. ties, or infested by rodents and stray animals littered with all kinds of junk — Some people believe that while the munici- also fall within the jurisdiction of the commit- probe coronavirus pality is responsible for keeping public areas tee although the criminal aspects related to from used furniture and tyres to clean and can take action against building activities carried out in such premises, includ- GENEVA: The World Health car batteries and paint canisters owners and tenants if there is litter outside ing storage of weapons and explosives, are to Organisation (WHO) said yesterday it — considered a danger to the the premises, there is no law to fix responsi- be probed by law-enforcement agencies. would help Saudi Arabia dig deeper into bility for using rooftops as dumping spaces. The law assumes immense significance, deadly outbreaks of a new virus to draw environment and residents. Legal circles told The Peninsula that a law especially as some rooftops, particularly in up advice ahead of the annual Haj pilgrim- (No. 29) was passed in 2006 to regulate the expatriate-dominated working-class locali- age, which attracts millions of Muslims. he areas that are a cause of increas- upkeep of buildings and executive regulations ties, are used as makeshift accommodation The UN agency, which is not currently ing concern are mainly in Doha and to help enforce it were put in place through for labourers. recommending any restrictions on travel to include Umm Ghuwailina, Najma, a civic ministerial decision (No. 33) in 2008. However, it is not known if any municipal- the kingdom or screening of passengers at TAl Mansoura, Al Ghanem and Doha According to the law, it is the responsibility ity has ever been informed of irregularities airports or entry points, will sent a second Jadeed, according to the vice chairman of the of each municipality to monitor the condition in its jurisdiction, although the CMC insists team of experts in the coming weeks. CMC, Jassem Al Malki. and upkeep of buildings in its jurisdiction and that buildings whose rooftops remain littered “Without that proper risk assessment, People (read tenants) usually dump things report the matter to a specialist committee with all kinds of waste — some of them haz- we cannot have clarity on the incubation on the rooftops of buildings mostly for resale at the Ministry of Municipality and Urban ardous — are galore, particularly in Doha. period, on the signs and symptoms of the later, but tend to forget them over time, Al Planning in case of irregularities, including According to observers, one thing is sure disease, on the proper clinical manage- PAGEMalki told a local Arabic6 daily recently. littering on rooftops. that since the CMC has raised the issue, the ment and then, last but not least, on travel On his proposal, the CMC last month took The panel has the legal authority to take authorities are expected to act and take cor- advice,” WHO director-general Margaret up the issue of rooftops, particularly of old action against a building found flouting rective measures. Chan said in Geneva. buildings in these and other areas, including safety and upkeep rules as it deems fit and Continued on page 4 Full report on page 8 THE PENINSULA & AGENCIES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 MAY 25, 2013 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home PICS: QASSIM RAHMATULLAH When rooftops become junkyards Tenants dump old furniture, batteries and tyres on rooftops, which are also havens for illegal activities BY FAZEENA SALEEM time frame, the ministry will do it on its own and force the owner any residential and to bear the expense, which will be commercial areas 25 percent more than the actual across the coun- cost. Mtry are likely to The most common violations get a better look soon, with the of the law include keeping open- Ministry of Municipality and ings for air conditioners uncov- Urban Planning preparing to ered, exposing water tanks on crack down against dumping of rooftops to public view and failure goods on rooftops. to stick to the permitted colours Based on a recommenda- for buildings. tion by the Central Municipal Many residents want the CMC Council (CMC), the ministry proposal to clean up rooftops to has instructed all municipalities be implemented at the earliest. to take action against owners of “It’s good a decision has been buildings with goods and junk on taken to keep rooftops clean. their rooftops. People keep all types of things on A senior official of Doha rooftops, from building materials Municipality recently called on and cardboard boxes to wires. If the city’s residents to report to a fire breaks out in such places, the municipal authorities if they especially where many people noticed any building with unclean live, it will be very difficult to premises, including rooftops. control the situation,” said Imara Ali Nasser Al Hajari, director of Brantha, a working mother liv- the public monitoring department ing in a partitioned villa in the at the municipality, told an Arabic Madinat Khalifa area. daily that the department had of “In case of an electrical short late received some 500 complaints recommended that the Ministry faster-than-usual response from circuit or fire it is difficult even to related to poor hygienic condi- of Municipality and Urban the civic authorities. Several citi- find the main switch of our build- tions in buildings. The complaints Planning include a condition in zens and residents have expressed ing. So it’s better to take preven- were mainly related to dumping licensing rules making it manda- the view that the issue in question tive measures,” she added. of waste in the premises, water tory for building owners to keep needs immediate attention for a Many residents said they leakage and poor maintenance. rooftops clean and tidy. number of reasons. hardly used the rooftops because “We will soon start inspections The CMC felt that occupants The problem affects almost they were in a bad condition. and find a solution to the prob- of residential buildings should be all parts of Doha, especially the A professional living in an lem” said Al Hajari. encouraged to grow decorative densely populated residential apartment in the Old Airport Rooftops of many buildings plants on rooftops, which would areas.