DOHA: As part of a campaign to clean-up the Corniche, authorities have removed boats and cruisers anchored for a long time and abandoned by the owners.
The Natural Preservation Section at the special engineering office together with the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning; and Search and Rescue Section at Coastal and Border Security removed seven cruisers and six boats which were almost sinking in the Corniche, an Arabic daily reported yesterday.
Officials said the vessels were removed to protect the sea from pollution and maintain the beauty of the Corniche.
Salah Hassan Al Kuwari, Director, Natural Preservation Section, said, “ Our aim is to protect the sea and the environment and remove all forms of things which could lead to pollution.
“We also pay special interest in preserving the Corniche, because it is like the face of the city.”
Officers claim neglected vessels at the Corniche block the movement of other boats.
“We removed some boats and cruisers, because they block the way for other boats, especially at night if there are no proper lights.
“This is not the first or the last campaign, we will continue with such operations,” said Al Kuwairi.
The owners will have to pay a fine and give a written assurance that they will not abandon vessels in future.
Hamad Al Rumethy, Head, Beach and Islands Protection Section of the ministry, said, “The campaign is part of activities we carry out throughout the year to clean up beaches, and islands across the country.
“It is our responsibility to clean up beaches, islands and remove boats, other neglected equipment and solid waste from the sea.
“First, we monitor the area for neglected boats and put a sticker on them as a notice to the owners to remove them.
“We wait for a week. If there is no response from the owners, we take steps to remove the boats. Once the boats are seized, the owners must pay a fine and give a written assurance that they will not repeat the violation,” Al Rumethy said.
The impounded boats and cruisers are kept at the ministry’s scrap yard in Al Waukhair.
First Lt Essa Yassim Al Fayad from Search and Rescue Section, Coastal and Border Security, said, “We always work with the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, the Ministry of Environment and the special engineering office to clean up the sea by providing machines and divers. Seventeen divers were involved in the campaign. They went deep into the sea, fixed crane ropes around the boats and them out of the water,” he added.
The Peninsula
