Dubai Municipality keeps a close watch on water products

Dubai Municipality keeps a close watch on water products (Gulf News Report)
By Maysam Ali, Staff reporter
Published: August 02, 2008, 00:04
Dubai: Two bottled water companies have been shut down for selling bad quality water, the Dubai Municipality said. The municipal laboratory also rejected 40 samples of the 800 received last year as "unsatisfactory" because of chemical and organic contaminants, it said.
When a sample is found "unsatisfactory," the product batch is recalled and the company has to take immediate action, said Shaikha Al Jalaf, head of the food and environment section at the laboratory. The municipality regularly checks tap water in schools, shopping centres, hospitals and commercial buildings, she said. Most of the residents of Dubai drink bottled water and not tap water, according to Dubai Municipality officials.

People here feel bottled water is safer than tap water.
"I never drink tap water. I have no idea where the water originates, whether it is safe or clean or filtered," said Wael Obaid, 28, lawyer who has been living in Dubai for three years. "It is safer to drink bottled water, and tap water is always warm anyway," he adds.
Although water provided by Dewa (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) is safe to drink, it is the water distribution system that might affect the quality and push consumers towards drinking bottled water to ensure their health and safety, according to the municipality.
The Dubai Municipality Central Laboratory receives 3,417 samples of bottled and non-bottled drinking water yearly, according to Al Jallaf.
The laboratory tests water for contaminants, heavy metals such as lead and mercury, solids, turbidity, organic pollutants, pesticide residues, bacteria and pathogens. An "unsatisfactory" result of the chemical and microbiological tests indicates bad quality of water.
Of the samples received every year, 800 are from local bottled drinking water companies. "Five per cent of this sample received an 'unsatisfactory' verdict from the laboratory," Adnan Al Jallaf, Head of the Food Safety Section in the Food Control Department, said.
When that happens, the product batch is recalled from the market and the company has to take corrective action.
Companies also face a fine of Dh1000, which is doubled upon further violations.
The municipality routinely checks tap water in schools, shopping centres, hospitals, mosques and commercial buildings. Residential buildings are only checked on request from the residents or if they file a complaint at the municipality.
Water in the UAE mostly comes from seawater, which is desalinated, according to municipality experts. The bottled drinking water requires further purification and treatment.

Labels on bottles
Labels on bottled water indicate either 'natural,' meaning the water is treated and does not originate from a spring or well, or 'mineral water', which naturally contains minerals. In both cases, companies are obliged to indicate the source of the water on the label of the bottles.
One Lebanese project engineer says he does not trust bottled water as there is no clear labels on the composition of the water. "Most people decide on a certain brand of bottled water on hearsay. They buy bottled water of well-known brands regardless of the quality control in those factories," said Rami Atme.
The labels on the bottles indicate the concentration of certain minerals in the bottled water as well as the acidity of the water and its hardness. The Dubai Municipality gives companies limits on the maximum concentration for each ingredient.
"If you select drinking water based on whether it contains more nutrients, you should know that more minerals does not mean that the water is healthier... Sodium could affect blood pressure and iron becomes poisonous if it exceeds a certain limit," said Abdul Moaty, senior chemistry specialist.
According to Dubai Municipality, 80 per cent of the companies in Dubai adhere to the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) standard, which obliges them to run daily tests of their products, document them and send it to the municipality.
The UAE drinking water standards also follow the World Health Organisation (WHO) international standards for non-bottled water and the International Food Code (CODEX) standards for bottled water.

Contaminants
If consumed over a long period of time, contaminants found in water could lead to colon problems, abdominal pain, poisoning and other health risks, according to Hamid Mohammad Ebrahim, Senior Food Microbiologist at the Dubai Central Laboratory Department, Food and Environment Section.
Another cause of contamination is the plastic bottles.
"We are hearing a lot in international media about certain kinds of plastic bottles that were found to be carcinogenic. Bottling companies should be monitored to ensure that these types of plastics are not used in the bottles we drink," said Atme.
Moaty said plastic bottles affect the quality of water, which can be noticed in the smell and taste of the water. "Leaching and migrating chemicals from plastics could accumulate in human bodies and are carcinogenic and attack livers and other organs," he said.
Experts advise consumers not to use bottles more than once and to keep them away from sunlight.
"It's advisable not to reuse bottles because they are made and meant for one-time use only," Natascha Edelmann, Head of Marketing at Masafi Mineral Water, said.

Tap water
Dubai Municipality officials assure residents that tap water is safe but that water tanks where it is stored could affect its quality.
For this reason, the Food Control Department has directed 10 companies to clean water tanks in buildings across Dubai.
"Landlords tend to neglect cleaning water pipes so we selected 10 reliable companies to do the job," Adnan Al Jallaf said.
"Residents should let the municipality know if they have doubts about the quality of tap water so that the municipality can take action."
Chemical experts advise people to use water filters that can eliminate solids, contaminants and other microorganisms.

Driving License

End unnecessary license delays (Gulf News Article)
Gulf News
Published: August 02, 2008, 00:04
For many getting a driving license is not just a way to enjoy some leisure time in a vehicle, it is a vital necessity for employment. This is why any delay in granting licenses must be cleared up. This does not for a moment suggest that standards should in any way be compromised due to time constraints or because of long queues.
Any vehicle on any road has the potential to injure and kill and those who sit behind the wheel must be capable and safe drivers.
They must also be independently verified as such. The booming economy is drawing more and more people in and driving schools are obviously getting busier. Providing safe, competent drivers with a license in an efficient manner benefits not just the driver but also the economy. It takes many components to drive. The wheel of commerce and quickly granting licenses to competent drivers is one of them.

Where Does Dubai Get all Money from?

Q: Where does Dubai get all its money from? They are building incredible buildings and artificial islands... are they an oil rich country? They seem so small! (Asked through Web)
A: At first, Dubai is not a Country and an Emirate of United Arab Emirates (Country)
But if you calculate Dubai Emirate's revenue income, only 6% of Income they are earning from petroleum (oil) or natural gas, and the rest from Trading, Manufacturing, Industries (like free zones), financial Services, etc.
Now investments from all over the world in Dubai's real estate sector and they are building the most recordable buildings, towers and artificial islands. Dubai Emirate's share to the UAE's gas revenue is only 2%. Most of Oil Production is in Abu Dhabi Emirate only.

Etisalat offers off-peak rates on international calls from July 30 midnight to August 2

(Courtesy - Gulf News)
Staff Report; Published: July 30, 2008, 15:38
Abu Dhabi: From Wednesday midnight, July 30, all international calls made from an Etisalat phone will be charged at off-peak rates until 7am on Saturday, August 2. The move is part of Etisalat’s efforts to enable all its customers to reach out to their loved ones around the world on Isra Wal Meraj, Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) ascension to heaven.
Customers who subscribe to Etisalat’s international cost-savings calling plans - Global Friends and Family and the Favourite Country Plans - will be able to enjoy further discounts in addition to off-peak rates. With the Global Friends and Family plan, customers can select any three international numbers for permanent, all day discounts of 20 per cent, for a monthly fee of Dh20. The Favourite Country Plan brings all day discounts of 30 per cent for fixed-lines, 25 per cent for postpaid mobiles, and 20 per cent for Wasel and Ahlan prepaid mobiles. There is no monthly fee, and revised charges apply to other destinations.
(Courtesy - Gulf News)

Motorists can park their vehicles for free in paid zones of Dubai on July 31

Staff Report
Published: July 30, 2008, 12:54 (Gulf News)
Dubai: Parking spaces in all paid-parking zones in Dubai will be free on Thursday, July 31, 2008, a public holiday to mark Isra Wal Meraj, ascension of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) to heaven. Najeeb Al Zarooni, director of parking department at Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Traffic and Roads Agency, said parking of vehicles in the parking spaces provided by the RTA will be free of charge only on Thursday July 31, 2008, which is an official holiday for public and private sectors. RTA urged people, especially motorists in Dubai, to properly utilise parking spaces. Motorists are requested not to park their vehicles on pavements nor block vehicles. Such practices will be subject to fines.
(Courtesy - Gulf News)

Heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorm lash Al Ain and nearby areas

Gulf News Report
By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief

Published: July 30, 2008, 17:33
Al Ain: Heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorm hit Al Ain and its surrounding areas on Wednesday afternoon. Trees, road signs and signboards fell due to the strong winds that hit Al Ain before the rain started. The rain started at 4:45pm and continued till 5:10pm.

(Courtesy - Gulf News)

Some roads in Sharjah closed for two days due to construction work

Staff ReportPublished: July 30, 2008, 16:11 (Gulf News)
Sharjah: Certain roads in Sharjah will be closed to traffic from Friday, August 1 to Saturday, August 2, due to road works. Motorists going towards Government Roundabout on Al Ittihad Road should go behind the Divan Al Ameeri and people going towards Government Roundabout from Independence Roundabout should go behind the municipality building. Motorists going from Al Zahara Hospital to Independence Roundabout should take the Shaikh Saqr Bin Khalid Al Qasimi Road.
Courtesy - Gulf News

New Visa Rules - Transit Visa, Free Entry, Urgent Visit Visa

Transit visa:

It is issued to travellers transiting through UAE airports. It is issued for 96 hours and must be sponsored by an airline operating in the UAE. The visitor must have a valid ticket for onward flight. There is a charge of Dh100.

Urgent visit visas:

Urgent visit visas will no longer be issued, but all visas will be processed on an urgent basis. Earlier, the Residency Department would issue a visit visa on an urgent basis for additional payment of Dh100.

Exemption: Free entry 
The UAE will not charge 34 nationalities for entry visas, and the free entry permit valid for 30 days on arrival will remain unchanged. This permit is renewable for 30 more days for a fee of Dh500. These visitors will be exempt from the refundable deposit and health insurance rules.
The 34 countries are Britain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Finland, Malta, Spain, Monaco, Vatican, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

New Visa Rules - Resident Visa Types

Residence visa

A residence visa is required for those who intend to enter the UAE to live indefinitely with a person who is already a resident. It is issued to the immediate kin of a resident for three years for a fee of Dh300. 

The residence permit becomes invalid if the resident remains out of the UAE for more than six months at a time.

Parents of residents can obtain residence visas after special approval. These have a renewable validity of one year for a fee of Dh100 annually. A refundable deposit of Dh5,000 has to be paid for each parent, however. 

Investor visa:

These are issued to expatriate investors in partnership with locals. The foreign investor must hold a minimum stake of Dh70,000 in the share capital. Like the residence visa, it is issued for three years for a fee of Dh300. 

Employment visa:

Employment visa or permit is issued by the Immigration Department to a foreign national who wishes to work for a company in the UAE upon the approval of the Ministry of Labour. 

It allows the holder to enter the UAE once for a period of 30 days and is valid for two months from the date of issue. 

When the employee has entered the country on the basis of the employment visa, the sponsoring company will arrange to complete the formalities of stamping his residence. 

New Visa Rules - Mission Visas

Special Mission Entry Visa

This is issued for a non-renewable 14-day period for a fee of Dh220 and a delivery charge of Dh10. Commonly known as a transit visa, it is collected by the visitor upon arrival. It is issued to businessmen and tourists sponsored by a company or commercial establishment, or a hotel licensed to operate in the UAE. 

Mission visa 

This is a newly added type of visa for the purpose of temporary work in the country. It is issued for a maximum of 180 days with a combined fee of Dh1,800. It is issued initially for three months for a fee of Dh600, and can be renewed for another three months for Dh1,200. 
The visa is issued in conjunction with the Labour Ministry's Temporary Work Permits. An applicant must obtain the permit from the Labour Ministry to get the visa.