Doha: The Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning has said that many companies still continue to house single workers in labour camps in areas under the Al Rayyan Municipality despite the ban on labour accommodations in residential areas.
The labour accommodations are scattered throughout municipality and a number of residents have lodged complaints with the authorities against them, local Arabic daily Al Watan reported yesterday.
The Ministry said that it will increase inspections in the area and take necessary legal action against companies found violating the law (No 15 of 2012) that bans labour camps in residential areas. The companies will be given a grace period of 30 days to evacuate the existing labour accommodations. “Once a violation is detected and the workers don’t leave within 30 days, the concerned authorities will have to use force to evict them from the area,” the daily quoted an unidentified Ministry official as saying.
The Ministry has received a number of requests seeking removal of labour camps from areas such as Old Al Rayyan, South Meaizar and Al Murra East, which have a large population of labourers.
Some residents also pointed out that many villas and apartments that house labourers were not safe for occupancy. “Companies are using very old houses, which pose a serious risk to the safety of the workers living in them. They are also damaging the environment in our areas,” said a resident.
Others said that they felt ‘threatened’ by large populations of labourers in their areas. “Many families have stopped their children from playing outside because they don’t feel comfortable with the labourers moving around freely in their neighbourhood,” said a resident of Old Al Rayyan.
He also criticised labourers for not showing respect as they walked around wearing ‘indecent’ clothes. “They throw out garbage and don’t show respect for families living in the area.”
The Peninsula
