The Public Parks and Horticulture Department has formed a special team to nab violators and issue fines.
Having issued several warnings in the past, the Dubai Municipality has now started imposing a fine of Dh500 on people who smoke shisha in the emirate’s public parks and beaches. The Public Parks and Horticulture Department has formed a special team to nab violators and issue fines, department Director, Talib Abdul Kareem Julfar, said in a press statement on Monday.
As per the statement, a fine of Dh500 will be slapped on a person found smoking shisha in public parks, beaches and other recreational centres supervised by the civic body. New boards have been erected warning visitors of the fine. A special team comprising 23 officers has been assigned to carry out surprise visits to beaches and public parks.
Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al Fardan, the Head of Public Parks Section, explained to Khaleej Times that the fine for smoking shisha was not strictly imposed earlier. “The fine was the same earlier. But so far, we have been informing people about the ban on smoking shisha in the parks in a friendly manner.”
He said hundreds of people had been warned earlier for smoking shisha in Dubai parks. “We cannot screen them at the entrance as people bring shishas in bags and go inside the parks. It’s only when they take out the pipes that we can know about the violation.”
Fardan said the rule is applicable to all parks, including residential, community, pond and beach parks and beaches. The municipality said the move is part of the efforts to raise public health and safety levels of Dubai.
Earlier, the Abu Dhabi Municipality announced a ban on restaurants and cafes along the Corniche from serving shishas.
