Bachelors flood Jahra area

KUWAIT CITY, July 20: In a new chapter of the series of the intrusion of bachelors into private housing areas and homes, Jahra area is witnessing an unfamiliar case of bachelors threatening their neighbors after the latter reported them. Also, inspection teams to find bachelors in such areas are being harassed by the owners of rental properties to prevent their eviction, reports Al-Rai daily. Head of the Jahra Municipality’s Emergency Team and a member of the Bachelors Committee Eng. Thuwaini Al- Mutairi affirmed that the team received many complaints from neighbors who stated that they are being threatened by violators in the event that they inform the regulatory authorities, especially those who practice immoral acts.

In an interview, Al-Mutairi explained that Jahra Governorate is one of the large governorates in which expatriate and marginal workers accumulate. The phenomenon of buying houses and converting them into housing for bachelors has increased recently, and with it, the number of complaints has increased as well. The team is currently dealing with complaints related to five areas affiliated with the governorate.

During the field visits carried out by the supervisory team, multiple violations were detected, including conversion of private housing into offices for domestic workers or a den for practicing immoral acts, or conversion of private housing into an international liaison office or a central kitchen or a central food market.

The efforts exerted by the team to combat the presence of bachelors among families were greatly appreciated by the popular committees in the governorate. Al-Mutairi said, “We therefore confirm our commitment to follow up the work according to the period specified by the committee, which is six months. The law will extend to both the property owner and his investor, if any, as well as employees.

A report will be issued regarding the property owner’s violation of bachelors’ housing, after which a block will be put on the property, and a letter will be sent to cut off the electricity supply through the parties participating in the bachelors’ committee.”

He explained that the procedures taken by the concerned authorities will be according to the following:-

1. The Ministry of Electricity and Water - It checks on the extension of the network, and then issues a report about the theft of electric current, and the need for cutting off power from the property.
2. The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) - It verifies the identity of the workers, allocates a code, and then issues a violation report against the labor companies.
3. The Environment Public Authority (EPA) - It checks the external sewage connections. In case of pollutants next to the property, it issues fines of up to KD 5,000.
4. The Ministry of Interior - It seizes workers who violate the residency law, and refers them for deportation.

Al-Mutairi said, “In the end, the electrical current will not be restored until the bachelors are evicted, and all building violations and violations related to other parties are removed. It will be returned only after the owner takes a pledge that he will not repeat the violation again.” It is worth highlighting that bachelors in Jahra Governorate are concentrated in a number of areas, which, according to the density of bachelors, are - Waha, Qasr, Old Jahra, Oyoun, and Qasayem Al-Othman.