ABU DHABI // The municipality is towing away dirty cars that are left in paid residential parking areas while their owners travel overseas.
Residents have expressed anger at having to pay large fines to have their vehicles returned because the cars were “disfiguring the public appearance”.
“I believe residents who pay for a year’s parking to Mawaqif should be exempt from fines as we don’t violate rules,” said Raufullah Baig, a Pakistani who lives in Al Zahiya and travels home for more than a month each year.
“A couple of years back we used to park in our area and no fines were issued, but now the municipality issues fines if it finds the car dirty, so we ask our friends to get it cleaned every 15 days to avoid fines.”
Indian Dinesh Srivastava, who has lived in Abu Dhabi for five years, said the municipality started to issue the fines only about a year ago.
“I asked a Mawaqif inspector in the area about parking when on vacation. He told me you park until your contract ends,” Mr Srivastava said.
An annual Mawaqif parking permit usually costs Dh800.
Mr Srivastava said the municipality should exempt those who park in residents-only parking.
“We pay for a year’s parking, so we should be exempt,” he said.
Tarun Tankha, an Indian who lives in Electra Street, also has his car cleaned whenever he is away.
“Most expatriates who live in the city don’t have underground parking for the building, so we have to park in the residents-only parking areas and we pay for that,” Mr Tankha said.
“Since I have seen fines issued, I asked my building security guard to clean it and I give him some money.”
Abu Dhabi Municipality said cars would be towed away for being dirty whether owners had paid for a space or not.
It said the fine for having an unwashed car towed was Dh3,000 under laws protecting the city’s appearance and public health.
“Up to 50 vehicles each month are fined and towed away to the impound yard for being abandoned in public places, which disfigures the city’s image,” a municipality spokesman said.
“If the vehicle is found to be disfiguring the public appearance, a warning is pasted to remove the vehicle within three working days. If they fail to remove or clean it, a fine is issued and the vehicle is towed away.”
The municipality said that the number of confiscations is high during holiday periods but low on working days.
“There are private companies for car washing in Abu Dhabi Island and residents can get a contract with the company or they can park their vehicles at any airports of the UAE,” the spokesman said.
One resident did agree that dirty cars should be towed away.
“When outside the UAE, ask your friends or the building guard to clean it in your absence,” said Ata Mohammed, an Egyptian.
“I do the same. It is good for all.”
anwar@thenational.ae
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
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