Illegal fishermen cabins to be removed from Muharraq coast

Manama : As part of its efforts to protect public beaches and coastlines, the authorities yesterday announced a new campaign to remove more than 140 illegal fishermen cabins on the western coasts of Muharraq, giving violators a month to take off their cabins.

Muharraq Municipality, which comes under Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry, confirmed that it will start removing all random cabins built along Al Ghaws Coast, located on the western side of the island, in one month.

The municipality clarified in a statement that “the cabins and other facilities constructed on Al Ghaws Coast in Muharraq are illegal and defy the Kingdom’s legislations”.

“The municipality has given the violators one-month notice to remove the cabins, in accordance with legal procedures,” it read.

The statement quoted, “Article 1 of Law 20 of 1996 prohibits utilising public beaches and coasts, especially those near coastal towns and villages, for private purposes, unless in cases of public interest and following the issuance of a decree.”

“Article 4 of the same law prohibits infringing on public beaches, coasts and seaports. The Law instructs to compulsorily remove all sorts of violations at the violators’ expense,” the municipality added in its statement.

This comes within the ministry’s efforts to protect public coasts and maintaining a civilised view of the island’s coastlines, especially after complaints against illegal fishermen cabins have increased during the past few years.

DT News reported last month that around 260 cabins were removed from the coastlines of Hidd and the Dry Dock area. 

The municipality announced back then that citizens and residents can report violations on public beaches in Muharraq through the unified system for government complaints (Tawasul) hotline 80008001 or through the municipality’s social media accounts and complaints department 17350043.