Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority has registered 15 violations as a result of damages caused to plant life in the wilderness, during the first quarter of 2020, especially due to the damages caused by soil levelling work and cutting of perennial and non-perennial trees.

In a statement by the authority on Wednesday, violators were subjected to a fine of AED10,000 for these violations.

Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, said that conserving plants is extremely important to the nature and the authority is doing everything in its capacity to protect them from further damage.

Al Suwaidi added that the authority continues organising awareness programmes and activities for public focusing on the importance of preserving wild areas, based on the Executive Council Resolution No. 09 of 2012. The resolution stresses on preventing environmental degradation in wild areas in the emirate and warns against the destruction of wild plants or killing of wild animals.

The law prohibits activities that violate the provisions of federal and local legislation regulating the protection of the environment and causing harm. The law further prohibits actions such as dumping, burying, storing hazardous waste, disposal of wastes, polluting wild areas, bulldozing, causing damage to people’s health.

As part of its responsibilities, the authority endeavours to protect the local wild plant species within its natural environments. These plants have a great impact on the biological environment of the areas in which they are located, including serving diverse needs of the human population.

The authority works towards enriching the region’s biological diversity despite the several challenges faced which over the years have led to a decrease in wild plants as a result of encroachment.