Sunday, January 08, 2006

Cutting Down - An Illetrate Unenvironmental Procedure

Trees are a great source of Oxygene and often offer a lot of shade in the hot summers. But moreso, they make a great scene when nothing else in sight is. And thus, in Islam it is prohibited to cut down trees for any reason whatsoever (I am not quite sure of the reason but if someone knows the reason behind it, please inform me through a comment).

In Oman, the law particularly follows that very path and if an offender is found violating by such an act, they are either sentenced to a jail term or a hefty fine. Either way, the pay - the hard way.

That being said, let me get to my point.

I had read today in the Al Shabiba Arabic newspaper that a English citizen in the UK had been fined heavily by a local British court having find the woman guilty of taking action to purposely poisin the trees that were obstructing the view to her own apartment. After feeding them that chemical toxic substance, three trees died, within a year's period.

Back to Oman, though. If you live in the Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos area in Muscat, you will no doubtedly notice that the plants or growing trees in the Al Madina Palaza within the parking area have been cut because - or so it has passed around - they were blocking the view (!!!) when all it was blocking were the view for road that passes by through the area and the houses that line up to it.

I find that very highly irresponsible and possibly criminal-like behavior for an organization (W.J. Towell) to order their employees to do such a thing - if they indeed order them to do so. The very view of the trees was the only thing that added a beauty and a natural background to the surrounding.

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