KUWAIT CITY, Jan 31: Director General of Kuwait Municipality Saud Al-Dabbous issued an administrative decision yesterday to regulate the places intended for barbecuing inside public places, squares, facilities, waterfronts, and public lands. According to the first article of the decision, barbecuing will be allowed from November 1 to March 31 of each year from 12 noon to 4:00 pm on the beaches controlled by the Tourism Enterprises Company (TEC)
behind Meghana Restaurant in Service Center
2, behind Burger King and Pizza Hut restaurants in Service Center
3, and Villa Fayrouz Restaurant in Service Center
4. Barbecuing is also allowed at Egaila Beach and Al-Khairan Park for members only during the times set by TEC. Barbecuing is banned on all Kuwaiti islands and beaches subject to the municipality, which are Shuwaikh Beach, which extends from Seif Palace to the oil complex, Anjafa Beach No. 17 opposite Salwa Block 12, Fintas Beach No. 8 next to Egaila Park, Mahboula Beach No. 10, and Abu Al Hasaniya Beach No.
5 in Abu Al Hasaniya Block 11 The decision specified eight controls for barbecuing in the permitted places, which are -

1. The materials used for barbecuing must be environmentally friendly.
2. Barbecuing should be done only on designated tiled areas, and not on any green space and sand.
3. The stove must be at least one meter high from the ground
4. Signboards to that effect should be placed at the entrances and exits of the beaches and inside them with a warning outside those designated spaces
5. Beach-goers must be obligated to ensure that all waste and materials that aid combustion are extinguished and transferred to a designated container of high quality provided by TEC,

6. A specific vehicle should be allocated to remove barbecue and charcoal waste without merging any other waste or rubbish to avoid any situation that occurs inadvertently or by mistake.
7. The beach-goers should commit to not breaking or vandalizing public property.
8. A special team will be formed by the municipality and the environmental police to follow up on the level of cleanliness in beaches and for inspection.

Article 4 of the decision required all parties under whose supervision the sites authorized for barbecue are located and mentioned in the decision to set requirements, create explanatory maps and indicative signs, determine the designated area for barbecue in each site separately, and specify the times during which barbecuing is permitted. Awareness campaigns will be conducted for citizens and residents by the authorities concerned with the sites in coordination with the municipality on various media. The authority supervising the sites designated for barbecuing should be committed to the provisions of the Environmental Protection law No. 42/2014 and its amendments.

Article 7 of the decision stressed that the municipal employees who hold judicial police status are responsible for controlling violations by the provisions of decree law No. 9/1987 regarding the prohibition of certain acts that are harmful to public cleanliness and plants. Ministerial resolution No. 354/2023 regarding municipal waste management and public hygiene regulations requires taking legal measures to control violations and issuing the necessary reports regarding them to the competent authority. Article 8 of the decision highlights the right of the municipality to amend the controls and places allowed for barbecuing to achieve the public interest.

By Inaas Awad
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff