Month: April 2010
My Letters & Photo Speaks – Gulf News – Dt. 10.04.2010 – Unsung heroes
My Letters & Photo Speaks – Gulf News – Dt. 10.04.2010 – Unsung heroes
To read my letters to the news, please bookmark and visit Letters to the Editor
My Letters – Gulf Today – 10.04.2010 – Ego game
My Letters – Gulf Today – 10.04.2010 – Ego game
To read my letters to the news, please bookmark and visit Letters to the Editor
My Letters – Gulf News – Dt. 09.04.2010 – Designated areas needed
My Letters – Gulf News – Dt. 09.04.2010 – Designated areas needed
To read my letters to the news, please bookmark and visit Letters to the Editor
My Lettes – GULF NEWS – Dt. 08.04.2010 – Seeking authorities’ attention
My Lettes – GULF NEWS – Dt. 08.04.2010 – Seeking authorities’ attention
To read my letters to the news, please bookmark and visit Letters to the Editor
My Letters – Khaleej Times – Dt. 08.04.2010 – Soft Pedal
My Letters – Khaleej Times – Dt. 08.04.2010 – Soft Pedal
To read my letters to the news, please bookmark and visit Letters to the Editor
My Letters – Gulf News – Dt. 07.04.2010 – Move smokers away from UAE mall entrances
My Letters – Gulf News – Dt. 07.04.2010 – Move smokers away from UAE mall entrances
Shoppers are being forced to inhale second-hand smoke at malls and near designated smoking areas causing health fears
By Bashir Mohammad Hijas, Gulf News Reader
I have been noticing a problem which I think should be highlighted in a community report.
My issue is with the “designated smoking area” in shopping malls. The entrance from the parking lots to the malls is often dotted with smokers, who fill up the air with exhaled smoke and endanger passers-by.
The designated area is in a place where [it affects everyone], including women and children. Often, this location is either not adequately ventilated or not ventilated at all, and the low roofs of the parking areas prevent the exhaled smoke from rising up in the air.
Passive smoking
Thus, the exhaled smoke and its smell lingers in the area for a long period of time.
Most importantly, this smoke endangers the health of passers-by due to the passive smoking effect.
There are several suggested remedial actions:
• Relocate the designated smoking area to a secluded place, away from the exit and entrance gates, so that it does not affect non-smokers.
• Build a glass wall around the smoking area to contain the smoke.
• Install heavy-duty smoke suckers, to trap the exhaled smoke. This would prevent others from inhaling exhaled smoke.
— The reader is a business analyst, in Dubai.
Be a citizen reporter. Tell us what is happening in your community. Write to us at readers@gulfnews.com
My Comments as follows:
I thank Mr. Bashi Mohammed Hijas for highlighting this issue of smokers crowding the entrance of the malls. It is a common scene, not only for malls, but other office buildings, whether you are in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. I had highlighted a similar situation happening in Abu Dhabi through one of Community report dated 06 April 2009 (strange!!). I followed it up vigorously with the authorities including mall managements and replies received were not promising as they had to find solution for a separate smoking area, rooms etc, which are costly. Rather than the amount of smoke inhaled while one pass by, I was concerned about the temptation, the younger generation gets by watching grown up men and women smoking away fumes waiting in front of the malls. It is a dangerous precedence and it will create an instinctive attraction to try for a cigarette in young minds. Authorities have to find solutions to these exhibitionism outside the premises as and when they introduce control measures to stop smoking inside malls and building.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
To read this letter in original, please visit GULF NEWS online
My Letters – Khaleej Times – Dt 05.04.2010 – No Pedestrian Crossing, yet
My Letters – Khaleej Times – Dt 05.04.2010 – No Pedestrian Crossing, yet
To read my letters to the news, please bookmark and visit Letters to the Editor
My Opinion – Irinjalakuda Live dot com – Akkare Ninnu – a week-end review of what’s happenig in the Gulf and around
My Opinion – Irinjalakuda Live dot com – Akkare Ninnu – a week-end review of what’s happenig in the Gulf and around
Photo Speaks – Malayala Manorama 04.04.2010 – Camels grazing on Abu Dhabi – Dubai highway
Photo Speaks – Malayala Manorama 04.04.2010 – Camels grazing on Abu Dhabi – Dubai highway
My Letters – Gulf News – Dt. 04.04.2010 – Lazy pet owners must be more considerate
My Letters – Gulf News – Dt. 04.04.2010 – Lazy pet owners must be more considerate
Lazy pet owners must be more considerate
we donated some of our valuable time to certain aspects of our surroundings, the rewards we reap would be plentiful.
Obviously, these aspects are not about humans and the reward is not money.
I refer to animals and Nature as a whole and the prize is happiness.
However, such creatures demand a great deal of patience and perseverance.
That is why everyone from experienced environmentalists to nature-loving individuals, veterinarians and pet owners deserves applause!
Especially when the topics of major discussions [in political arenas] are to do with climate change and species extinction, conserving certain breeds of pets without depriving them of their natural habitat is the best service rendered to nature.
In distress
But when such services are done, it surely does not mean that other people living in the same community are put into distress.
Many lazy pet owners in Dubai have found a convenient place for their pets to relieve themselves usually in nearby gravel areas. This results in unclean and unhealthy surroundings. Surprisingly, these pet owners do not even realise that the same areas are constantly being used by many [other people].
Unless such areas are privately owned, this immoral attitude is [inconsiderate] and quite disturbing to others. There is nothing wrong in allowing pets to relieve themselves in open areas, provided that they are sandy and the area is suitably cleaned before leaving.
Finally, while performing a good deed, it is not appreciable to cause an inconvenience to the wider community
My Comments as follows:
Its really interesting to read the Community report on a simple but highly unhygienic issue. Well done to Meghna Tony. The children are suffering from shortage of play grounds and areas nearer to their home, and whatever available, should be kept aside for them with special care and should not be allowed to be encroached by their four legged friends and owners. Why not devote some time and give them proper training? Or why not authorities let a designated relieving area for pets? Well, it is too difficult to find solution to install and implement the automated public toilet facilities in place for moving public and so, let our four legged friends and owners enjoy for the time being.
Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
To read this letter in original, please visit GULF NEWS Online.
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