DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi is looking to crackdown on citizens who spit gum and throw cigarette butts onto the streets. According to a local news report on Sunday, the Abu Dhabi government has set up large fines for those caught in the crime. Emirates 24/7 reported that Abu Dhabi is implementing the new policies in order to on such action and has described the move to end behavior “rejected in public.” “Those found spitting will be fined Dh100 while persons throwing cigarette buts on the road will have to pay Dh200. A Dh500 fine has also been set for those who dump waste in public places,” Emirates 24/7 said. Already this year, some 267 fines have been handed down this year in Abu Dhabi for such offenses, the al-Ittihad daily newspaper reported on Monday. “The penalties were issued during campaigns launched by the municipality to curb such practices and create public awareness of the need to keep the city clean and preserve its aesthetic image,” officials were quoted as saying. Citizens in the UAE appear pleased with the move. Jonathan Murray, a foreign worker in Abu Dhabi, told Bikyamasr.com that it should help “clean the city.” He continued to say that “we in the Emirates have been struggling to keep the streets clean and this is a good way. I see no problem with fines for littering because it will only help the public sphere in the long run and make our cities cleaner.” BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/0JVXL Tags: Abu Dhabi, Cigarette Butts, Spitting Gum Section: Latest News, United Arab Emirates
