Tuesday 19 / November / 2024
Muscat: Throwing trash from a vehicle will land drivers with a fine or a prison sentence, and environmental agencies are welcoming the move.
Article 40 of the newly amended Traffic Law states that throwing rubbish or anything from a vehicle in non-designated areas is punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 days or a fine of up to OMR300.
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An official at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs (MECA) said, “The new Traffic Law will help fight bad habits, such as throwing trash on roads.”
“However, the fines should be slapped depending on the trash thrown, location and violation,” added the official. The official added that people should know by now that littering is wrong and welcomed the new penalty.
“This is an extremely civilised law. This makes it mandatory for people not to litter, which should be considered a civilised act (not to litter),” said a Royal Oman Police official.
He compared the law to Japan, where people who litter face severe consequences if caught.
The Environmental Society of Oman (ESO) said it will aid the authorities in keeping Oman clean, which in turn would lead to a healthier environment.
“It’s important for Omanis and residents to ensure that they keep their surrounding environment clean, and take responsibility for the waste that they generate,” said Suaad Al Harthy, ESO’s programme director.
When asked whether the penalty is harsh for a simple act, such as littering, she replied, “It is for the government to decide what the correct amount for a penalty is, but I do believe that people need to take ownership and responsibility of their surrounding environment and of being fined for littering, which would push people to think about what they throw away."
“Regulations often promote change in behaviour and the important thing is to raise awareness about this law and its penalties, as well as ensure its enforcement.”
“It takes awareness to change behaviour, which is why it’s important to educate young children all the way up to adults on the importance of reducing the amount of waste that they generate and responsibly dispose of,” she added.
The laws have been issued by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said under the Royal Decree 38/2016 regarding some amendments to the Traffic Law, which was announced on August 4 2016.
The law will take effect a month from the date it is posted in the official gazette as cited by Article 5 of the amended Traffic Law.
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