The Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife has ordered excavation work stopped at the Buhair housing project.

It has also referred the contractor in charge of the project to Public Prosecution for carrying out work without environmental clearance.

Commission director-general Dr Adel Al Zayani said yesterday the contractor was asked to stop work because he had failed to meet environmental conditions, but he refused to comply.

He said work released foul gases since the area was a landfill and had been buried for many years.

The decision aimed to prevent environmental hazards with regard to the health of workers and residents near the project, Dr Al Zayani said, reports our sister paper Akhbar Al Khaleej.-TradeArabia News Service