09 March 2015
The CEO of the Environment Protection and Development Authority (EPDA) of Ras Al Khaimah, Dr. Saif Mohammed Al Ghais stated that the authority caught a farm south of the emirate illegally trading in groundwater.
The authority has lately released a circular preventing the selling of groundwater to factories and commercial establishments, and to commit to using it solely in the irrigation of agricultural crops.
Dr. Al Ghais further explained that the authority spotted out tankers leaving the farm carrying thousands of gallons of groundwater, and further investigations in the case showed that the farm belongs to a citizen who is renting it to a person of an Asian nationality for the aim of selling groundwater to industrial, commercial and constructional establishments in different areas across the emirate.
He added that the farm owner was penalized, and pledged not to repeat the offense and the depletion of groundwater illegally, stressing that the authority also spotted a number of other farms selling groundwater in exchange for little money.
Dr. Al Ghais also pointed out that the authority at the moment focuses on large farms that pull water from the main wells and sell thousands of gallons of groundwater, as a prelude to seize their owners red-handed.
He also added that the authority rejected licensing a desalination plant in the creek of Al Qusaidat area near (Rak Mall), to protect the nature reserve of the creek from pollution, stopping the desalination plant from possibility dumping waste in the creek, which will increase the salinity level killing the fish and exposing the marine environment to risk.
He also explained that the authority had set conditions to permit the establishing of the plant, which include extending pipes to drain the non-distilled water outside the creek area.
Al Ghais also stated that the authority is launching the 3rd International Conference on Global Warming under the title (Food Security) on the 5th of May, to discuss the environmental effects on fish stocks, local and global food security, organic products, and contamination of soil and water as a result of global warming.
He also mentioned that some cement factories in the emirate were able to successfully reduce their energy use by 70% through the use of a gallon of petroleum products instead of a barrel in powering their factories.