Importing or storing nuclear substances could lead to the death penalty under a new environmental law that came into effect in Kuwait on Sunday.
The controversial legislation also includes a KD250 ($860) fine for picking flowers, while littering or causing the death of marine and land fauna will incur a KD500 fine for each penalty, and smoking in closed and semi-closed public areas a KD100 fine.
Other violations include noise and sea pollution.
<center>Photo Credit to Kuwait Page<center>
A new police force division also has been established to monitor the new rules.
The legislation was approved by the previous parliament and came into effect on Sunday.
The Environmental Protection Authority’s deputy director for technical affairs, Mohammed Al Enezi, said the body also had new powers to refer government organisations for investigation if they were believed to be negligent or lenient in enforcing the new rules.
“Violators will be severely punished as well,” he said, according toKuwait Times.
According to the new law, penalties include a KD 100 fine for smoking in closed and semi-closed public areas, fining flower pickers KD 250 and KD 500 for littering. It also punishes those causing the death of marine and land fauna by KD 500.
In addition, the law includes the most severe punishment for those importing or storing nuclear substances with a KD 1 million fine or the death penalty. EPA deputy director for technical affairs Mohammed Al-Enezi said that the law would make EPA act more or less like the Audit Bureau as it would issue annual reports on the role of each ministry in putting this law into practice.
Enezi added that EPA had contacted all government bodies briefing them on the law’s articles and the duties to be played by each of them. “By powers of this law, EPA will be entitled to refer any government body to investigation if negligence or leniency in enforcing the law is detected. Violators will be severely punished as well,” he stressed, pointing out that the law also punishes those causing noise pollution and gigantic vessels polluting seawaters.
Sources : kuwaittimes|arabianbusiness
