Ajman residents seeking ministry intervention over quarry pollution

Residents in Al Subigha have complained that pollution caused by local quarries is having an impact on their health, and have asked for officials to step in and resolve the situation.

AJMAN // Residents in Al Subigha in Ajman have demanded the intervention of the Ministry of Water and Environment to reduce pollution caused by local quarries.

Residents say that they are paying a high price in terms of their health and revenue due to the problem, reported Al Ittihad, The National's Arabic-language sister newspaper.

According to reports, the situation has gotten worse since they stopped being notified about the timing of explosions, preventing them from taking necessary preventive measures.

Ajman’s municipal office in Mesfawt confirmed that it was notifying inhabitants of the dates and times of explosions and that quarries are operating from 2pm to 10pm.

Umm Abdullah, an Emirati, said that inhabitants in the area previously received notifications 24 hours before the explosions, but quarries are now using explosives at random times and without sending out notifications. There is concern for children and the elderly in particular following a recent incident where a child ended up with multiple leg fractures as a stone from his family’s house fell on him after an explosion.

“Our houses have suffered from recurrent explosions and are now dilapidated and we do not have sufficient money to perform yearly maintenance works,” she said.

“Quarries are only three kilometres away from Al Subigha and we suffer from the constant dust emanations, day and night, around the clock,” said another Emirati resident.

“The dust constitutes a fog that surrounds the residential area and when the weather is at its worse, it leads to reduced visibility.”