Dubai introduces Digital City Project

By PMA RASHEED 

6 April 2011, The Gulf Today 

Dubai Municipality (DM) has introduced its Digital City Project (DCP), which it claims will help the Emirate’s residents to avail the civic body’s services easier, faster and in a more transparent manner, through this quick response (QR) code system.
The platform to provide services to the public through electronic modes is with an aim to save their time, money and effort as communications are made easier and information is exchanged more rapidly. 

The DCP will enable the public with electronic tools to request a range of DM services including building plan permit, adding land transaction with sale, renewal of survey maps of allotted plots, building demarcation and permit renewal, permit for décor work and temporary use of plot.

A DM spokesperson elaborated that request for new registration of local consultant or contractor, changing contractor or consultant after issuing building permit, and request for permanent connection with sewage network can also be made through the digital city project.

Hussein Nasser Lootah, director-general of Dubai Municipality (DM) said that the new service will help user to easily access municipality services to know the plot number, data on the owner, plan use of land, building permit details, building and planning violations issued against the plot and health and safety violations against food and health establishments.
"Also, inspection visit programmes planned for a building, checking the periodicity of field visits actually carried out on building, in addition to the follow-up of visits programme implemented by the supervision engineers of the sites under construction can be accomplished," he added.
“The user can also check the results of the last field visit on the building, staff register of food preparation and public health establishments and their commitment to occupational health standards, follow-up the preventive maintenance visits carried out on irrigation pump network in the Emirate,” he added.

“The system also enables the owner to know the violations and the remarks issued on his land, view the new advertisements and directives of Dubai Municipality, as well as review and get a copy of the procedures for obtaining Municipality services and the required documents. User can even participate in the evaluation of satisfaction level with services provided at the different sites where municipality services are delivered,” Lootah said.
The QR service applications are aimed at improving services and applying the best electronic technologies to ensure effectiveness of its operations and procedures. It will link all the DM services with a single system, providing a number and QR code for each building in the Emirate.

“Users of iPhone and Blackberry can take advantage of QR technology by downloading applications and installing a Mobile-tag to their hand sets. The users can take a photo of the QR code of any required service and a copy of the procedures for obtaining the service will be downloaded on the phone directly,” Lootah added.

“The QR Code is an encrypted column that can be read using mobile phones. The code stores phone numbers, URLs, e-mail addresses and any other alphanumeric data, with a capacity of storing up to 4,296 characters or digits,” he pointed out.

“By using a mobile device with a built-in camera and a tag reader, the user can access any site address of land without using the keyboard. The QR Code can be used in several ways for numerous uses. Instead of typing phone numbers you need only to pass the mobile on the QR Code to save it in your device, in addition to many other usages which certainly will benefit the user,” elaborated the official.

Dubai Municipality issues new conditions on storage of hazardous goods

By PMA RASHEED

18 March 2011, The Gulf Today

Dubai Municipality (DM) has issued a new set of environmental requirements to store and handle dangerous goods inside industrial establishments, factory units, companies and warehouses registered in the Emirate.
The recent updation in the environmental conditions for the storage of hazardous items and chemicals comes as part of the local order No.6 of 1991 on “Systems to protect the environment in the Emirate of Dubai” and “ Practice Guide on the Management of Dangerous Goods in the Emirate of Dubai” and technical guidance related to the subject of the storage and handling of dangerous goods issued by the Environment Department of Dubai Municipality, said a top civic official.
Abdul Salam Mohammed Saleh, head of Environment Monitoring Section of the Environment Department at the DM, added that manufacturing or industrial establishments and their storage facilities should comply with the requirements contained in the legislation issued in respect of the storage of dangerous goods and chemicals, and the technical guidance issued by the DM’s environment department.
“All companies, facilities or warehouses that store dangerous goods or chemicals in quantities listed in the practice guide are required to obtain the permit for storage of dangerous goods issued by the environmental monitoring section at the DM,” indicated Saleh.
He noted that the number of permits for storage of dangerous goods in the Emirate has increased more than 300 per cent with 73 permits in 2010, compared to 17 permits issued in 2009.
“Non-compliance of the criteria by the establishments will invite strict legal action, including imposition of fines and disconnection of services. The reluctance to adhere to the conditions could also mean closure of such establishments, facilities and warehouses,” warned Salesh.

Dubai Municipality to accredit labs in the UAE

By PMA RASHEED

17 March 2011, The Gulf Today

The Dubai Accreditation Centre (Dac) under Dubai Municipality (DM) has become the first internationally recognised local accreditation body in the UAE and fourth of that kind in the Middle-East region to provide accreditation to laboratories.

According to officials, the Dac will also be able to provide international accreditations for laboratories outside of the UAE. 

The DM and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) have signed a contract on Wednesday to recognise the accreditation given by the municipality to laboratories in the emirate, said a top DM official.

Hussain Nasser Lootah, director general of the DM, said the Dac, a member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), will issue internationally recognised accreditation to testing and calibration laboratories in Dubai.

“Registered and licensed health establishments in Dubai can obtain internationally recognised accreditations for their laboratories by enhancing the quality of medical services as well as achieving technical excellence. The accreditations will ensure higher quality services at such facilities,” elaborated Lootah.

A top DHA official said that the health regulation department at the authority will add the Dac to the list of approved accreditation centres for labs in the emirate.

Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, director general of the DHA, said that an option to get laboratories accredited from a local body will significantly contribute to the healthcare facilitates in Dubai. It’s a cost-saving and convenient option for the health sector in the emirate.

“The DHA will provide high quality healthcare services to our stakeholders along with convenience and ease of services. This initiative will enhance the quality of medical services provided to the residents,” he added.

According to Dr Ramadan Ibrahim, director of health regulation at the DHA, this recognition makes it feasible for the laboratories in Dubai to approach a local accreditation body, which is both cost-effective and ensures a lesser turn-around time.

“The DHA, in future, will also recognise accreditations given by the DM to hospitals, once the civic body fulfils all the required criteria for the same,” he added.

Dubai Municipality scotches BlackBerry romours on new housing fees

By PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 27 Aug 2010

The civic authorities in Dubai have dismissed smart-phone rumours about imposition of new set of fees on the shoulders of both citizens and expatriates residing in the Emirate.

A rumour was spreading via BlackBerry messages that Dubai Municipality (DM) had already enforced the fees on the citizens. This resulted in the toll-free number at the civic body’s call centre being rung up numerous times for clarification on the issue.

The news being circulated through the BlackBerry device on the enforcement of additional housing fees is absolutely fictitious, said a DM official statement issued on Thursday dismissing the gossip.

“However, the Municipality had launched an integrated e-transformation system in June to collect the housing fee along with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (Dewa) monthly billing system,” clarified the Municipality.

Director of the DM’s Finance Department Arif Ahli had said that the centralised collection of all the charges under the unified e-system throughout the Emirate would prevent manipulation of the utility bills.

“Notices were sent to the tenants to pay the housing fees as a component of the Dewa bills. The system has been implemented by making the public fill up special forms designed for this purpose that were available on the DM web portal www.dm.gov.ae,” he added.

All the tenants of non-citizens in the Emirate have been paying housing fees since 1962.

Earlier, this housing fee was being collected by Dubai Economic Development Department (DEDD) at the time of the licence renewal, and as well as through the lease contracts of the Dubai Real Estate Department.

“The housing fees, accounted at five per cent of the rental value of a unit leased or owned by non-Emirati residents, are meant for providing them with the civic services,” confirmed the DM.

“The electronic system for the unified utility bill collection is aimed at guaranteeing quality of work and comprehensive coverage of all tenants throughout the Emirate.”

“The first phase of the project began in 2005 through the collection of fees by the newly registered contracts with the Dewa,” read the DM statement.

“During the second phase, the Municipality worked on the development of the system in coordination with the Dewa in the light of the study notes on the application of the system in the first phase,” it elaborated.

Ahli had earlier pointed out that if anybody fails to register with the new system, the tenant would be sent a final notice asking him to provide the required data during the month.

“In case of failure to respond, the tenant would be charged housing fees as per the rental index issued by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA),” he said.

Caution over Mamzar lagoon slipway

By PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 2 Aug 2010

The civic body in Dubai has instructed marine passengers to Mamzar lagoon to be extra vigilant about the possibilities of life-threatening dangers while using the slipway or boat slip to the area.

In order to avoid disasters in the sensitive spot, the Dubai Municipality (DM) has strictly prohibited the visitors from exceeding the floating 'No Entry' signs and entering the Mamzar lagoon, according to a senior civic official.

The number of water sports freaks, leisure visitors and tourists thronging the area significantly increases in summer, as they come here to escape the soaring temperatures.

The Municipality has already issued a set of safety measures and called upon all the visitors to take additional personal care and abide by the specified requirements, while venturing into sea water in the area.

Alia Al Harmoudi, the head of the Coastal Zone and Waterways Management Section at the Environment Department of the DM, said the public should use the slipway only as an access to the sea.

“Roaming around in the Mamzar Creek is prohibited. Professional fishing boats are also not allowed to use the slipway,” she added.

"People should also maintain the speed limit in this area not exceeding 5 knots. The parking lot adjacent to the slipway is allocated for parking trailers only on a temporarily basis and using it to park the boat is prohibited," she pointed out.

“The offenders to the municipal regulations will face stringent punitive actions like imposing of hefty fines and other legal measures,” warned Al Harmoudi.

She urged the public to co-operate with the municipality and to adhere to the instructions for their own safety.

“The Al Mamzar slipway had been closed for several years due to a number of abuses committed by the users of jet skis and the boat owners. The municipality re-opened the point for the public later, after setting up certain conditions that govern the use of the slipway,” she elaborated. 

“As the Al Mamzar slipway is a major tourist facility that supports leisure activities, tourism and water sports. Owners of yachts and boats are supposed to ride their boats for recreation and sports only,” she pointed out.

According to Al Harmoudi, all the roads and streets leading to the slipway in Al Mamzar carry the signs.

She said, “Two sign boards could be found upon reaching the slipway prohibiting its use.”

“This had created a lot of confusion to the visitors prior to the recent announcement of the municipality on the opening of the slipway and allowing the owners of the marine vehicles to use it,” she added.

Al Harmoudi noted that there are only two slipways in Deira side, one in Al Mamzar and the other in Al Hamriya port.

“The latter being meant exclusively for commercial fishing boats,” she pointed out.
“Prior to the municipality announcement of allowing the public to use the slipway at Mamzar, a large number of practitioners of marine sports and residents in the area of Deira had to travel a long distance to reach Jumeirah or Umm Suqeim,” she elaborated.

In the beginning of the summer season, the Dubai Municipality warns all the beach-goers to be cautious about the heat stress and its symptoms.

During this time of the year, the authorities warn the beachgoers to take extra caution while venturing into sea, as drowning incidents increases significantly.

Flushing out villa violators

By PMA RASHEED 

The Gulf Today, 23 July 2010 

Punitive actions have been imposed against as many as 4,387 incidents of breaching residential rules in Dubai in the first half of the year.
The Emirate has recorded numerous violations of building and construction regulations during the past six months in various parts of the city, revealed Dubai Municipality (DM).
A senior civic official of the Municipality said that utility services have been cut off to 1,654 residential premises, illegally occupied by multi-families. The disconnection of power and water supplies to the overcrowded villas has forced hundreds of residents to vacate their premises.
The civic body says that it has no option other than forcing the residents to vacate multi-occupied villas by disconnecting their electricity supply, as they continue to live in high-risk conditions posing safety threats.
Omar AbdulRahman, Head of Building Inspection Section at the DM said that about 40,707 villas have been inspected in the civic body's "One Villa One Family" drive.
"During the campaign to ensure compliance with the civic laws and legislation, the inspectors made surprise visits to the villas and various ranges of fines have been imposed on the offenders of the residential regulations," he added.
"The violations included accommodation of bachelors in areas designated for families, and single houses occupied by more than one family by illegally partitioning such premises," pointed out AbdulRahman.
According to him, other violations ranged from additions to the buildings without the Municipality permits, and the exploitation of houses for purposes other than those allocated to them.
"Some people created multiple partitions within rooms to house more occupants. In some premises, 10 to 15 single men were accommodated in small partitioned rooms. Some even lived on rooftops or under staircases. Some families were found sharing with single men," he elaborated.
"The municipal services were cut off for the breaching houses, after issuance of many warnings to correct their violations," he pointed out.
"Repetition of the violations and non-compliance even after the warnings prompted the DM to disconnect power and water connections to such houses with the support of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa)," elaborated AbdulRahman.
Since the beginning of this month, the civic inspectors have been focusing Al Jafiliya area and have severed the utility supplies to several overcrowded villas.
Khalid Salem Selaiteen, Head of the Environmental Emergency Office at the DM, had earlier said that many people moved out after their power supply was detached, while several others in the area vacated fearing the disconnection of electricity in the scorching summer.
He added that cranes were used to remove the huge generators being used in some villa compounds, while police escorted municipal workers in the raids to villas housing a high number of tenants.
The Municipality also focused eviction of overcrowded villas in Rashidiya and Mankhool areas, after issuance of several notices to the residents.

Utilities cut off to more overcrowded villas in Dubai

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 1 July 2010

Dubai Municipality (DM) has disconnected power and water supplies to several overcrowded villas in Dubai, forcing hundreds of residents to vacate their premises.

The civic body had intensified its “One Villa-One Family” campaign earlier this month and identified over 70 severely crammed villas. While 27 of them housing nearly 200 people each were already evicted, the crackdown is on to evict people living in the rest of the villas.

Inspectors are now focusing Al Jafiliya area and have severed the utility supplies to 15 villas since last week, confirmed Head of the Environmental Emergency office at the Municipality Khalid Salem Selaiteen.

He said many people had moved out after their power supply was cut off while several others in the area vacated fearing the disconnection of electricity in the scorching summer.

“When we went for disconnecting their utility services, we found some six to seven villas were already vacated,” Suleten said on Wednesday.

He said cranes were used to remove the huge generators being used in some villa compounds while police escorted municipal workers in the raids to villas housing a high number of tenants.

“But nobody created any problem so far,” he said.

Apart from Al Jafiliya, the official said the campaign will now focus more in overcrowded villas in Rashidiya and Mankhool areas as well.

“We had given notices to these villas several times. But, people continue to live in high-risk conditions posing safety threats. Now, we don’t have any option but to force them to vacate by disconnecting their electricity supply,” he added.

“The violations included overcrowding with multiple partitions within rooms to house more occupants. In some premises, 10 to 15 single men were accommodated in small partitioned rooms. Some even lived on rooftops or under staircases. Some families were found sharing with single men,” elaborated Selaiteen.

“The electricity and water connections had been meddled with, and new wires assembled up to allow more people to live in each room. Some tenants also set up separate water pumps inside their villas,” he added.

According to him, all partitions made without the Municipality permission will be removed. Extra rooms, bathrooms or structures constructed without permission wouldn’t be allowed to continue. All of them should be demolished now.

In the beginning of the latest inspection drive aimed at shutting down the multi-occupancy villas, the authorities had urged the illegal occupants to move to areas like Al Qusais, Al Nahda, Al Quoz, Jebel Ali and Muhaisnah, and avail cheap labour accommodation and residential units.

Unified collection of utility bills in Dubai

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 6 June 2010

Collection of housing fees in Dubai at five per cent of the rent value has been added to the billing procedures of Dubai Electricity and Water (DEWA), as the Municipality on Sunday launched the second phase of its project for an integrated e-application system.

Dubai Municipality (DM) has introduced the electronic system to collect the different utility charges all together, aimed at guaranteeing quality of work and comprehensive coverage of all tenants throughout the emirate, according to a senior DM official.

Arif Ahli, Director of Finance Department at the DM, said, the centralised collection under the unified e-system throughout the emirate will prevent manipulation of the utility bills. The DM will coordinate with DEWA for collection of the housing fees through its monthly billing system.

"Notices will be sent to the tenants to pay the fees within the DEWA bills, as this final phase of the project is aimed at applying the system to all tenants and landlords concerned,” he added.

“Implementation of the system will be done by making the public fill up special forms designed for this purpose that are available on the DM web portal www.dm.gov.ae,” said Ahli.

He pointed out, “If anybody fails to register, the tenant will be sent a final notice asking to provide required data during the month, and in case of failure to respond, the tenant will be charged housing fees as per the rental index issued by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA).”

“The Municipality or DEWA shall not bear any responsibility for this towards the customer or others," he warned.

According to Ahli, the new system has been developed during the project’s second phase in the light of the observations on the application of the system in its first phase.

"The first phase of the project had begun in 2005, when the housing fee was collected through the newly registered rent contracts with the DEWA. The Municipality has started taking the final steps to apply the system under the plan for the second phase of the project and it is expected to be completed by the end of 2010,” he explained.

”The housing fees have been collected since 1962 on the basis of a law on Dubai Municipality revenue and linking it with the DEWA in a strategic partnership between the two government bodies,” he added.

Municipality stresses self-verification for building permits in Dubai

BY PMA RASHEED

14 May 2010, The Gulf Today

The buildings department of Dubai Municipality (DM) has issued a circular to all building consultancy offices operating in the emirate, to submit special forms for self-verification to obtain permit for building villas in the emirate.

All engineers and designers assigned for the villa projects have been asked to abide by the mentioned features, according to a senior DM official.

Khalid Mohammed Saleh, Director of Buildings Department at the DM, said that building consultancy offices have to do their own review of the plans submitted for building permits before submission at the municipality and comply with the conditions stated in the forms.

“The civic body has prepared a list of conditions and basic observations which must be fulfilled in the transactions regarding the villas when applying for building permits,” he added.

“The verification forms should include the architectural, structural, thermal insulation, and sewage features. The circular will give more powers to the consulting firms,” said Saleh.

“The circular has been issued aimed at developing procedures for building permits in full partnership from all those are involved in the licensing process,Ó he added.

“The procedures will be implemented by identifying the tasks and responsibilities and standards that are clear and precise for all bodies, and activate the self-performance as they can submit and complete in accordance with best international standards,” explained Saleh.

He said, “The special forms will popularise the laws and regulations through the application of a direct process, and activating the role of the consulting offices in the process of facilitating and simplifying the licensing procedures.”

“It will also reduce the time necessary to complete transactions through the powers granted to them, and raise the quality of work through the direct verification by the engineer and designer and take up responsibility for the verification process,” he noted.

The Circular No. 179 regarding forms for self-verification for the villas is addressed to all consulting offices operating in the emirate of Dubai.

An electronic copy of the forms can be downloaded from www.dubaibuildings.dm.ae, the web portal of the municipality’s buildings department, or obtained from the DM customer service centre.

Tests at Dubai central lab increase

The tests at DCLD included quality examinations of engineering materials, foodstuff, environment and consumer goods as well as the calibration services.

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 26 March 2010

THE number of approved tests at the central laboratory in Dubai has been increased from 93 to 185, according to Dubai Municipality (DM).

The tests at Dubai Central Laboratory Department (DCLD) included quality examinations of engineering materials, foodstuff, environment and consumer goods as well as the calibration services.

"The move is in line with the DCLD's efforts to emerge as a world class product confidence vendor, as well as a reference laboratory in the region in many areas of testing and calibration," said a senior civic official.

Amin Ahmed Mohammed Amin, acting director of the DCLD, said, "The DCLD has successfully passed the intensive assessment carried out recently by the Dubai Accreditation Centre (DAC) for the extension of its scope of accreditation under international standard requirements for competence of testing and calibration laboratories."

"The DAC technical assessment team included 12 specialist technical evaluators from outside the country who evaluated the testing capability of the central lab for two full days in accordance with the requirements of international standard ISO/ IEC 17025," he added.

Amin said that the evaluation included confirmation of the skill and efficiency of technicians and analysts working in the laboratory to conduct tests according to the approved standard test methods in addition to checking the equipment and tools used and the calibration done according to international requirements.

"The extension of the scope of accreditation was carried out in order to satisfy the requirements of our ever growing customers for more sophisticated and advanced level of testing and calibration," he noted.

He explained, "With this extension of the scope of accreditation, which included new fields such as Environmental Testing, as well as new areas in Food Testing and Engineering Materials Testing, DCL has established further mile stones towards achieving its strategic objective in becoming a reference laboratory."

"The DCLD also will contribute to the increase of the export of loca products to other countries of the world in light of the country's membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), in addition to the support in activating the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)," said Amin.

According to him, the main goal of the extension of the scope of accreditation has crystallised to be consistent with achieving customer satisfaction and the growing requirements in more sophisticated and complex areas within the testing and calibration processes.