German TV interviews Hussain Lootah

German TV interviews Hussain Lootah

Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality said that the first and foremost tasks of the Municipality is to work for achieving the vision of the Government of Dubai and to serve the vital interests based on the preparation and implementation of strategic plans for comprehensive development at the level of the Emirate of Dubai, as it is a department that provides services to members of the community and works to create an excellent city that provides the essence of success and comfort of living.

He said this during his interview with a German television channel, adding that Dubai Municipality has made significant achievements and carried out vital projects in accordance with an ambitious and creative vision it has adapted to assume a prominent place within the community of Dubai.

"When we speak of the infrastructure, which is ready to receive the steady growth in the volume of business in the city, it becomes the role of Dubai Municipality to manage the steady increase in demand for its services," Lootah said.

He said the municipality's ability to perform its functions through well thought out plans and accurate programmes of work include urban planning in accordance with the strategic plans and the programmes for the preservation of the environment and the provision of various municipal services.

Lootah said that the challenges facing the Municipality include the increased amount of waste water. "We are keen to raise the hygienic level within the environmental system of the Emirate of Dubai. The Municipality has worked to implement the key stages of the plan for drainage and storm water projects to cover the drainage needs of the Emirate until the year 2020. This was planned by dividing urban areas as per of future expansions to key sewage areas. The plan will serve each of the areas with a main pumping station that pumps the sewage water to the existing sewage treatment plant in Al Aweer or to the future station at Jebel Ali. The city has been witnessing a number of infrastructure projects in this field," he said.

He also spoke on the sewage water pumping station project "X1" and the pipe lines to the main treatment plant in Jebel Ali, which are currently being implemented at a total cost of Dhs586 million, and the project to establish the huge sewage treatment plant in Jebel Ali, at a cost of approximately billion Dhs560 million, which is expected to be completed in 2010.

Lootah said that the drainage project is in implementation of the grand policies of Dubai Municipality in the provision of the best basic services and necessary infrastructure for different residential and industrial areas of the Emirate of Dubai, adding that the Municipality is committed to provide services to all segments of the community in order to serve the city.

He also spoke about the Quran park project, which is one of the most creative initiatives of Dubai Municipality in the establishment of parks and increasing the green areas in the emirate. "This park is a wonderful opportunity to explain the meanings of the Holy Quran and the many miracles mentioned in it in the areas of science and medicine, the benefits of plants and how modern medicine is highly dependent upon this for the treatment and its benefits to the environment. The integration of all services required in the park was also taken into account. We are also keen to ensure the Islamic nature in all its components and the nature of the life of the desert as it was described in the Holy Quran," said Lootah.

He also noted his delight in the release of the Municipality's initiative, "green roofs" during the Green Dubai Forum held recently. "This project is being applied on the roofs of Municipality buildings to measure and see the positive impact. The Director General of Dubai Municipality pointed out that this project was launched to coincide with the application of the criteria for Green buildings law in Dubai under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai," said Lootah.

He said that the city conducted an extensive study that confirmed the success of this project in other countries. "So the Municipality had decided to apply this idea in the area of environmental conservation, reducing of temperature and purification air from pollutants. The Municipality had selected plants appropriate for this project in addition to the beautiful designs in coordination with the Department of Public Parks and Horticulture in Dubai Municipality," said Lootah.

The Director General also pointed about the Municipality's care in applying its strategic plan for 2007 - 2011, which is in line with the strategic plan of the Government of Dubai for 2015, especially in the area of development of the plan's urban and aesthetic characteristics, and the provision of green spaces for the population of the Emirate of Dubai as the Strategic Plan of Dubai Municipality aims to raise the per capita green area to 23.4 square meters, and raise the ratio of the area planted in urban areas in Dubai to 3.15 percent by the end of 2011.

Lootah said Dubai Municipality has placed specific targets for the total area to be cultivated annually, stressing that the Municipality will develop legislation defining land uses for agriculture and for beautification purposes so as to ensure the implementation of the cultivation of these areas.

He added that Dubai Municipality has in the past conducted some public opinion polls, analysis and studies to monitor the requirements of the residents of the Emirate of Dubai for residential parks and pond parks and community squares, pointing out that the Municipality accomplishes comprehensive coverage of the services that the community looks forward to the scope of the Emirate of Dubai according to the results of these surveys, analysis and studies.

Lootah said that the Municipality currently oversees the study and implementation of many recreational areas and landscaping projects in order to provide better services to the residents of these areas, including neighborhood parks, public squares in general, and pond parks in particular, because it is the natural outlet for the population of the emirate in all categories of citizens or residents and a safe place for children to practice many activities through the use of park facilities in addition to shaded places to sit.
"Majority of such parks has been provided with rubberized jogging tracks for doing healthy and enjoyable exercises. These facilities are part of the many services provided by Dubai Municipality, which believes that these services will meet the human needs. Care has been taken to meet the requirements of people with special needs as well as the safety elements, which is one of the basic criteria in designing these parks," he said.

He noted that modern Dubai is the product of the past twenty years of continuous development and prior to that Dubai was a small traditional community situated on the banks of the creek, adding that Dubai Municipality is working hard to conserve the historic heritage of the Emirate of Dubai so as not to forget the rich history of this city, which is becoming a modern city by all standards.

Lootah said that he will work to establish the principle that the satisfaction of the public and the customers with the services and activities is the key to leadership and excellence of the municipality.

"It is the goal which the Municipality made as one of its basic strategic objectives and seeks to achieve them with hard work and perseverance. The coming stages will witness the practical implementation of the proposals, policies, legislations, laws and regulations and all appropriate actions in relation to the aspects of municipal work such as planning, buildings, general projects, environment, public health, technical services, administrative services, financial and contractual services, and participation in the provision of investment opportunities for private sector and encouragement to participate in the development," he said.

Lootah said the Municipality will seek to preserve the achieved high level of public health and safety, occupational and environmental protection standards, according to international standards, along with the continuation of the construction of market facilities and abattoirs and also work to develop, control and monitor them to ensure the fulfilment of the needs of the community or the population, especially in urban and new development areas.

Lootah said that it was natural to continue the establishment of public parks and recreational areas, spreading of green patches, horticultural beautification of streets and the maintenance, supervision and control of public beaches in the emirate.