Two decisions ban barbecuing in some places and regulate installation of vehicle sunshades
Ibrahim al Hasni
Based on Muscat Municipality law issued by the royal decree No. 38/2015, H.E Mohsin Bin Mohammed Al Sheikh chairman of Muscat Municipality issued decision No. 31/2019 on banning barbecuing or lighting fire in gardens, parks, public beaches, walkways, and green landscapes. The decision allows such activities to be carried out only in locations and places allocated for this purpose and by the Municipality. Article two of the decision stipulates; “without prejudice to the penalties indicated in Article (14) of Muscat Municipality law referred to, anyone who violates the provisions of this resolution shall be fined with an administrative fine of (100) Omani rials with requiring the offender to remove the causes of the violation.”
His Excellency has also issued a decision no. (95/ 2018) amending some provisions organising installation of sunshades of vehicles in front of residential buildings, outside the boundaries of the land plot. In its first article, the decision repeals item number (2) of article (4) of the regulation organising installation of sunshades in front of residential buildings and outside the boundaries of the land plot issued by the resolution No. 95/2018.
Director of Legal Studies in Muscat Municipality Mr. Ahmed al Abri said that these decisions aim to regulate barbecuing or lighting fires in gardens, parks, beaches, public walkways and green landscapes and to limit negative behaviours that cause serious damage to such places or on the urban aesthetic appearance of the city. The intention to choose the 100 OR was to limit the field visits made by the Municipality specialists and to stop the increasing rate of such negative activities.
Al Abri noted that the cancelled item No. (2) of article (4) of the regulation organising installation of sunshades in front of residential buildings and outside the boundaries of the land plot allowed to install the sunshade (2) two meters from the outer wall of the building, and it may reduce the distance to (5,1 m) in cases decided by the Municipality, allocating that distance as a walkway, adjacent to the wall of the residential building, and suitable to use by disabled people in terms of level and slopes, and not to put any obstacles within it including planting trees. This amendment has cancelled the distance between the sunshade and the external wall, which grants enough space between the sunshade and the wall.