Law No. 1 of 1993 Prohibition of Bulldozing Agricultural Lands and Onshore Sand

Law Summary Record Type: LawNumber: 1Date: 03/01/1993 Corresponding to 10/07/1413 HijriNumber of Articles: 7Status: In force

Official Gazette :Issue: 1Offcial Journal Issue Publication Date: 01/01/1993 Corresponding to 08/07/1413 HijriPage from: 685

طباعة

Articles (1-6)

We, Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar;

Having perused the Amended Provisional Constitution, in particular Articles 23, 34, and 51 thereof;

The Criminal Procedure Law No. 15 of 1971, as amended;

Decree-Law No. 24 of 1990 organizing the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture and its functions;

The proposal of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture;

The draft law submitted by the Council of Ministers; and

Having consulted the Shura Council;

Hereby promulgate the following law:

Articles

Article 1 (Amended By Law 33/1995)

Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 1 and 1(bis), the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture, in conjunction with the Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural Resources (SCENR), shall have the power to license the bulldozing of agricultural land or beach sand, or transfer earth and sand therefrom, in order to improve agricultural land or maintain fertility thereof, or with the intention of achieving a public benefit.

The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture shall issue regulations and procedures relating to the licencing.

Article 1 - BIS (Amended By Decree 32/2002)

It is prohibited to bulldoze agricultural land or transport earth therefrom. Agricultural land meansfarmed fields, meadows, lands prepared for cultivation andcultivable lands.

In applying the provisions of this law, bulldozing meansany act resulted in removing the agricultural soil prepared for farming or any part of the surface of the earth, in a manner that exposes the substrata of the land.

No act shall be deemed as a prohibited act of bulldozing if it is done on agricultural land owned by individuals and is necessary for agricultural work.

Article 2 (Amended By Law 33/1995)

Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 1 and 1(bis), the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture shall be permitted to bulldoze agricultural land or onshore sand, or transfer earth and sand, if this is for the purpose of improving agricultural land, maintaining fertility thereof, or achieves any other public benefit. A decision of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture may issue regulations and procedures for the licencing.

Article 3 (Amended By Law 33/1995)

Officers delegated by a resolution of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture shall have the capacity of law enforcement officers in relation to providing evidence of acts which constitute violations of the provisions of this law and the resolutions implementing thereof. Such officers shall have, for that purpose, the power to enter any land or farm, and seize and interfere with any transportation, tools or equipment used in drilling, or carrying, or transporting earth or sand resulting from unauthorized bulldozing, and retain it until judgment on the violation.

Article 4

Without prejudice to any more severe penalty applicable pursuant to any other law, whoever violates the provisions of this law, or the resolutions implementing thereof, shall serve a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or by a fine of not less than (2,000) Riyals and not more than (20,000) Riyals or both, as well as an order to restore the situation to how it was before the violation, at the expense of the violator.

Article 5

The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture shall have the power to make the resolutions necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this law

Article 6

All competent authorities, each within its own area, shall execute this law which shall come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.