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WEDNESDAY, August 26, 2015 / 11 Dhul Qa’ada 1436 AH timesofoman.com
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Oman gets tough on worker safety
TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES
OMAN
Top opera singers at ROHM this season
1
Classical music aficionados and opera fans will have a chance to see some of the best opera singers along with top notch orchestras, violinists and pianists thanks to the eight classical concerts and recitals scheduled for the 2015-2016 season at the ROHM. Speaking to the Times of Oman, Dr Nasser Al Taee, Advisor to the ROHM Board for Education and Outreach and an expert in classical music, said the season is filled with opera stars with powerful voices and includes a number of concerts that will showcase popular operatic and classical composers. >A4
OMAN
Indonesians rescued through Sultanate
2
Ambassador Sukanto was in Jakarta recently to receive an award from Retno L.P Marsudi, foreign minister of Indonesia, for his efforts in facilitating the evacuation of Indonesian nationals from Yemen through Oman. The award was conferred on August 18, 2015, where about 24 members of the evacuation team received the award including the Indonesian ambassador to Yemen, the Ethiopian ambassador accredited to Djibouti, chargé d’affaires of Riyadh, and the consul general in Jeddah. >A6
ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company
CABLES
HM receives thanks MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of thanks from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi of Egypt in reply to His Majesty the Sultan’s condolences cable on the death of his mother. In his cable, President El Sisi expressed his deep appreciation for His Majesty the Sultan’s sincere feelings, praying to Allah to protect His Majesty and the Omani people against all harms. His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has also received a cable of thanks from President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China in reply to His Majesty’s condolences cable on victims of the explosions that shook the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin. In his cable, President Xi Jinping expressed thanks and appreciation for His Majesty the Sultan’s sincere condolences and sympathy to him and the people of China. -ONA A L K H U WA I R
There cannot be any compromise on the safety of workers with the ministry warning of stern action against offenders
REJIMON K
reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Companies found violating safety standards with regard to workers will be penalised, said a Ministry of Manpower official following a spate of accidents reported at construction sites. “The Labour Law and the Ministry of Manpower are strict in ensuring the safety of workers at work sites. If there are any violations, it will be probed and the offenders will be penalised,” the official told the Times of Oman.
During the last few days, six workers suffered injuries at construction sites in Seeb and Buraimi and had to be hospitalised. In Seeb, a building under construction collapsed injuring four workers, and in Buraimi two were injured in a similar accident. “In the Buraimi incident, 12 workers had a narrow escape. The two who suffered injuries were rescued by the police and rushed to the hospital,” a social worker in Buraimi told Times of Oman. In Seeb, those who were stuck
in the building after it collapsed had to be rescued by the police. A trade union leader said that there can be no compromises with regard to the safety of workers. “We cannot risk their lives. There should be proper safety measures. Making them work in an unsafe environment is an unpardonable offence. When we come across such cases we alert the Manpower Ministry,” said Mohammed Al Khaldi, board member of General Federation of Oman Trade Union (GFOTU). An Indian social worker said that on an average he handles cases of at least four workers injured at work sites every month. “We receive emergency calls mainly from construction workers. Along with the embassy officials and the police we take up the case and help the injured workers,” said Shameer PTK, a Muscat-based social worker. “In some cases, if the injuries
are serious, we are forced to repatriate them. Unfortunately, we find that in many cases, workers risk their lives without proper safety gear,” added Shameer. Meanwhile, Mark Pudwell, training manager at Competence HR, said that it is the right of every worker to work in a safe environment where potential hazards are mitigated through a risk assessment of their job and appropriate level of on-the-job training and safety inductions. “This is no less important in the construction industry where the diverse nature of potential hazards is especially dangerous to employees. Everyone working in this industry should, as an absolute minimum, be given effective personal protective equipment such as safety boots, gloves, head and eye protection, and site safety training before they enter the construction site,” added Pudwell. >A6
Employees foil exchange house robbery REJIMON K TARIQ AL HAREMI
reji@timesofoman.com tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Timely action by employees foiled a robbery attempt at a money exchange house, said an official from the Al Jadeed money exchange in Al Khuwair, which was attacked by a masked burglar late on Monday evening. “At around 8pm, a knifewielding burglar entered our shop and demanded money. However, the exchange house employees refused to budge. Unperturbed, they rang the emergency bell and pushed him out of the centre,” said an official from the money exchange house. >A6
S U WA I Q C O A S T
Alert Coast Guard intercepts boat, arrests 27 infiltrators
OMAN
Heavy rain reported in Samail region
Times News Service
3
Heavy rain accompanied by wind and hailstorm has been reported in Samail, according to residents. “It started at around 3:30pm. Still it’s raining heavily. Everyone, especially children, are enjoying the rain as we all were sweltering under extreme summer heat for the last few days,” Sainul Abdeen, a resident said. “Rain may cause overflowing of wadis. Already the roads are flooded and it is windy too. So, motorist on RusaylNizwa have been advised to take extra care,” Sainul added. >A7
SURVEILLANCE: Coast Guard personnel patrolling the sea.
MUSCAT: Twenty-seven illegal infiltrators were arrested by the Coast Guard unit of Royal Oman Police (ROP) while they were trying to enter Oman illegally, according to official sources. The Coast Guard intercepted their boat in Omani territorial waters as they tried to enter the country along Suwaiq coast. The Coast Guard also responded to a distress call made by a fishing boat with four people onboard off Khurab Island. The boat was facing engine problems and the ROP towed it back to Seeb port.
Dhofar beckons
C7
TESTING PHASE
WATER SOURCES IN NORTHERN OMAN
Wadi Aday (5 wells)
Trial run of Ghubra desalination plant starts to ease Muscat’s water woes
GHUBRA
159,000
6,000
(In cubic metres per day)
Al Khoud (10 wells)
20
100,000
TARIQ AL HAREMI
15
106,
tariqh@timesofoman.com
Sohar
4, 9 8
45
250,000 Barka
281,000
2017 Quriyat
166,560 Source: Public Authority for Electricity and Water
20 16
4 31,5
26
2018
962,545
7
000
10 m
In 2018, the daily production of water will be 962,545m 3, the approximate volume equivalent to a dice with the length of a football pitch Graphics
MUSCAT: Muscat’s water scarcity is becoming less severe as the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) continues its trial run of the new Ghubra desalination plant. “We are testing the quality of water during the trial run to provide residents with pure and clean water. The quantity that passes the test is sent into the distribution network along with the old plant’s water,” said a PAEW official. The tanks at the old Ghubra desalination plants are gradually being emptied even as it continues to
supply water to areas in Muscat, and the new desalination plant also contributes during the test phase. The test phase will continue until September until the old desalination plant is completely drained. Commercial operation The commercial operation of the Ghubra plant, which includes the expansion of the new Barka desalination plant, will commence by the beginning of 2016. The plant is producing around 50,000 cubic metres of water during its trial run while gradually increasing its production until it reaches its maximum capacity
of 158,987 cubic metres per day. The estimated production capacity of the plant in its pilot phase is 45,425 cubic metres per day and this has been greatly contributing towards increasing water production for Muscat, South Al Batinah and Dakhiliya Wilayats. Though the water scarcity has eased, some residents are facing water shortage and sometimes during the day they do not receive any water. “Some areas such as Hamriya and Amerat are facing a few problems during the day as some of the houses are situated at a height. It is only at night that the water flow increases,” explained the official.
“We are planning to add pumps to increase the flow to those areas,” he added. Quriyat plant The Quriyat desalination plant, which is currently being developed, will produce 166,558 cubic metres of water per day and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2017. In addition there is the desalination plant in Barka which should produce 281,000 cubic metres daily and the other one in Sohar with a capacity of 250,000 cubic metres daily. They are expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2018. >A6