Water, power disconnected from erring villas

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 27 Oct 2008

DUBAI Municipality (DM) started disconnecting electricity and water in the violating villas, as the one month deadline for multiple families staying in villas has come to an end last Friday.
Omar Mohammed AbdulRahman, Head of Building Inspection Section in DM Buildings Department, said: “No more deadlines would be given to the residents of these villas as we have given ample time for them to vacate. Those who violate the Municipality deadline will face strict action that amounts to fines, which may go up to Dhs50,000, The fines may not be restricted to villa owners. The tenants who refuse to comply with our regulations will also face fines,”
“After conducting inspections we had given notices to the families staying in villas telling them only one family can stay in a villa. As per the notices, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) will now be cutting water and electricity connection as the notice period has come to an end,” he added.
Dismissing the news about allowing close relatives to stay in one villa, AbdulRahman said that no cousins or other people will come under the definition of the family. “A family means father, mother and children. We have certain regulations and those who violate them will face action,” he said.
“Our inspectors have already conducted inspections in different areas and found that there are violations. Now inspections are all over, it is action. All partitions made without Municipality permission should be removed. No extra rooms or bathrooms. No structure constructed without permission would be allowed to continue. All of them should be demolished now,” Abdul Rahman said.
“We had started the campaign against bachelors staying in family residential areas in 2005. As part of that campaign we had issued warnings that many families staying in one residential unit after making alterations inside the building illegally would not be allowed. It is against the rules and regulations regarding building safety as well as the social and urban planning norms,” he said.
“Service amenities like water, electricity and sewage are provided according to the affection plan of the buildings. When the residential unit is used by more families against the plan it becomes difficult to manage resulting in the accumulation of waste, affecting public safety and environment,” said Abdul Rahman.
“DM had notified the building owners and real estate companies not to rent out these premises to bachelors and to allow only one family to stay in a single residential unit. We had also informed them that all services would be disconnected and the future transactions with them would be stopped,” he said.
Regarding flats, he said there is a Municipality regulation on the number of people who can stay in a residential unit. “If anybody complains about huge number of families staying in a small area in a single flat creating social problem for neighbours, the DM will conduct inspections and take necessary actions,” said Abdul Rahman.
So far, we have not started any campaign against flats being shared by families. There are rules and regulations regarding environment and public safety in flats. Partitions are not allowed without the Municipality permission.