Building power supply cut off due to violations

Poor living conditions have forced Abu Dhabi municipality to shut off a building's power supply (Getty Images)

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An Abu Dhabi building has had its power supply shut off by the municipality due to unsanitary living conditions and overcrowded apartments.

According to a news report by Gulf News, a UAE based daily newspaper, tenants of the ten storey building have been without power for more than two weeks, with some residents claiming that it was abruptly disconnected without any prior notice.

“The building’s manager did not inform us of the impending shutdown, so we were not even given time to find alternative accommodation,” said a 49 year old resident, who did not wish to be identified. He added that he had been a resident of the building for around 14 years.

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Another tenant told the newspaper that he had heard of a notice sent by the Abu Dhabi Municipality, which stated that no more than three people could occupy a single room.

“We were told of this regulation four to five months before the power was disconnected,” the tenant, who also did not wish to be identified, claimed.

A representative of the building manager refused to confirm whether prior notice had been given to the building’s residents.

However, the Abu Dhabi Municipality said that inspectors had conducted a number of investigations in the building and found it had unsuitable living conditions.

“The violations detected in the building seriously threatened the health of the residents, and even those passing by. Since July 2011, inspectors have made several checks and also directly warned the owner to remove the violations,” said Ahmad Fadil Al Mazroui, director of the external centres at the Municipality, when questioned by the newspaper.

He added that a copy of the list of violations had been placed at the building’s entrance so that tenants could be made aware of them.
The breaches included an infestation of insects and rodents within the building, as well as exposed wiring and unclean water tanks.

“The number of people living in each room also exceeded the maximum limit of two or three people. Some rooms had nearly 10 people living in them, other apartments had people occupying bed-space in the dining halls and living rooms,” he added.

According to the newspaper, despite the horrible conditions, a handful of families still remained within their apartments.