publish time

23/03/2018

author name Arab Times

publish time

23/03/2018

KUWAIT CITY, March 22: Deputy Director- General for Technical Affairs at the Environment Public Authority (EPA), Engineer Mohammad Al Enezi said the authority continues to monitor environmental violations regardless of their nature and that includes smoking and others, reports Al- Anba daily.Al-Enezi said the EPA has recently visited the schools, especially the boys’ schools, because the authority had received complaints that the teachers smoke inside the school premises in front of the students. He pointed out the executive regulations of the new environmental law strictly forbids smoking inside educational institutions.Al-Enezi added the law also forbids allocating places for smokers because teachers are supposed to be role models for students.In case if anyone is caught smoking, the violator of the law will have to pay KD 50 fine and the school administration KD 1,000, for failing to strictly implement the law.Moreover, the person caught smoking will be referred to Prosecution for failure to comply with the law. Al-Enezi pointed out the EPA has permission from the concerned authorities to enter certain places to ensure the law is applied. If the entry is denied, the official said, the concerned person will be accused of obstructing officers from performing their duty in accordance with Article 168 of the environment protection law. He said the EPA takes permission from the Public Prosecution only in one case that is when the authority has to inspect private housing.Meanwhile, the Director of the Department of Social and Psychological Services at the Ministry of Education Faisal Al-Ustaz said no one has the right to enter the school premises without permission from the Ministry of Education. He pointed out the ministry did not give anyone the right to enter the school to control the smokers.Al-Ustaz explained the school management is responsible for organizing the work within the school. He noted the ministry deals with him only in maintaining the process of education and work within the school. He added in the event there is anything contrary to the rules and regulations in force, whether in connection with smoking or otherwise, the manager is the one who prepares a report and sends it to the educational directorate, stressing the confidence of the Ministry in all educational and administrative bodies within schools.