Environment Affairs Committee zero in on environmental issues

Opening natural reserves to public eyed

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 4: The parliamentary Environment Affairs Committee discussed a number of environmental issues, including the accumulation of waste after the heavy rains and possibility of opening natural reserves to the public.

In a press conference held at the National Assembly Media Center after the meeting, Committee Rapporteur MP Mubarak Al-Hajraf disclosed that they met representatives from the Environment Public Authority (EPA) who said there are 85 rainwater and sewage drainages dumping mud and other waste materials into Kuwaiti Bay, requesting for a budget of KD 20 million to resolve this dangerous issue.

Al-Hajraf alleged the government has been lenient in handling environmental affairs, especially the sewage system in Sabah Al-Ahmad Housing City. He pointed out it will take more than three years to address this problem, stressing the need for the government to heed parliamentary warnings regarding these issues in order to prevent their recurrence.

The EPA representatives also informed the committee about the directive to open natural reserves to the public, starting with Jahra Natural Reserve followed by Sabah Al-Ahmad and others in the northern part of the country.

They revealed natural reserves will also be used for animal grazing and EPA is currently coordinating with the concerned authorities in the oil sector to open the latter’s natural reserves to the public.

Al-Hajraf added the meeting focused on restoration of Kuwaiti wildlife, emphasizing the need to benefit from the KD 3 billion compensation for damages caused by the Iraqi invasion.

On the other hand, the committee approved the proposal of MP Khaled Al-Otaibi to conduct a geological survey to map rainwater paths and determine areas which are safe for the establishment of new residential cities.