A call has gone out for tougher action against landlords after 192 derelict homes were found to be used as labour accommodation in Old Muharraq.
MPs have expressed fears that besides endangering lives, such properties could also be sources for the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19).
The statistics were released by Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf yesterday during a remote meeting with MP Ebrahim Al Nefaei.
Of the 192 dilapidated buildings, 128 were situated in residential block 203, while 41 were in block 205, 20 in block 206 and three in block 209.
“This is an alarming number, especially in Old Muharraq, as we are trying to combat the spread of Covid-19,” said Mr Al Nefaei.
“Only one landlord corrected violations, while the remaining 191 didn’t.
“Legal action has to be stepped up if there is no commitment to fix things as people’s health is at stake.
“The improper housing issue is not born out of the current situation, it has been an underlying problem for years without any real solution.”
The GDN reported in May that an urgent call went out by elected officials to further clamp down on unregistered properties being used as labour accommodation amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
Authorities then took legal action against 100 landlords in the Capital Governorate for violating labour accommodation guidelines introduced to halt the spread of the coronavirus, while more than 400 others were issued final warnings.
Overcrowded
However, legislators claimed that authorities have so far addressed only registered camps – while illegal dilapidated buildings located in densely populated residential areas across the country continue to be overcrowded with migrant workers.
Several MPs said this raises fears that such properties could be sources for the spread of the coronavirus.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak in March, stricter rules have been introduced for labour camps, while the government has also transferred migrant workers to temporary shelters to avoid overcrowding.
Mr Khalaf previously said that notifications had been sent to 1,049 labour camps to rectify their situations following inspections of 1,604 facilities across the kingdom.
He added that teams from the authorities concerned had notified 65 per cent of those violators and also informed more than 200 owners to fix the violations according to the law.
Undocumented migrant workers have been given until the end of the year to avail of an amnesty launched by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority in order to either legalise their status or leave the country without facing penalties.
Labour and Social Development Minister Jameel Humaidan also said in May that there were 46,123 foreign workers registered under 169,865 non-functioning companies.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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