KUWAIT CITY, Nov 14: Director of Public Relations Department and official spokesperson of Kuwait Municipality, Mohammad Sandan, revealed that the administration has developed an integrated plan, which pays great attention to sensitization of visitors to municipality-approved camping sites to reduce violations of seasonal camping regulations. He explained that the municipality has completed the preparation of the comprehensive regulation for the camping season, in collaboration with the Municipal Council. These regulations aim to organize the camping process efficiently and include strict fines for non-compliance.

However, the implementation of these regulations is pending official approval from the Minister of State for Municipal Affairs. The electronic reservation system for spring camps will be launched on the municipality’s official website precisely at midnight on Thursday, November 15. Through this system, individuals and companies will be able to apply for camping licenses, with places allocated according to the priority of the reservation for registered applicants.

Wildlife
The new regulations impose fines of KD 3,000 to KD 5,000 for anyone setting up a spring camp or operating in designated seasonal camping sites without obtaining a license from the municipality. It also applies to individuals who set up camps outside the authorized camping period, which starts tomorrow under the Environmental Protection Act, or those who acquire a license through fraudulent means. Violations also include camping or engaging in activities outside the area, limits and period established by the municipality, and using or training with firearms of any kind in the camping area. The regulations also focus on preserving the natural environment and protecting wildlife, prohibiting the establishment of permanent structures made of building materials, and prohibiting the creation of earthen barriers or any harmful fences to delimit camp sites.

In addition, the regulations prohibit activities such as digging trenches, excavating soil and transporting soil to the site. It also prohibits the use of construction materials such as asphalt, cement or other harmful substances for leveling or modifying the campsite, as well as the use of machines and heavy equipment for leveling the ground when present in campsites. The new regulations prohibit the dumping, burning or burying of any type of waste in the wild. Licensees are required to dispose of waste only in designated areas and must dispose of waste at the times specified by the municipality. The bylaw also prohibits activities such as grazing, hunting or disturbing wildlife in campsites. In addition, regulations require that all waste generated during spring camp or related activities be removed at the end of the camping season or when the license expires. The campsite must be restored to its original condition as it was when the license was granted.

By Inaas Awadh Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Collective