SHARJAH // More than 70 workers have been found living in one house, with up to 15 sharing each room.
The people were discovered during raids by Sharjah Police, the Department of Naturalisation and Foreigners Affairs and other authorities on 37 houses in Maysaloon.
Sharjah Municipality shut down power to 300 houses after nearby residents complained about the growing number of single men moving to the neighbourhood.
The law stipulates areas where single labourers can reside, said Ibrahim Al Rayyes, head of the safety and inspection section of the municipality.
Other conditions that must be met concern the maximum number of occupants in one room, Mr Al Rayyes said.
“We received several complaints after which we shut down power in 300 houses across the emirate. However, some individuals illegally restored power,” he said.
During the raids, officials also caught a large number of people living in the UAE illegally.
Last month, Emirati families living in Samnan said their neighbourhood was quieter and felt safer after single men were evicted from unsafe and overcrowded villas.
Many of the villas, often in need of renovation and dangerously overcrowded, were rented to labourers or expatriate families.
In some cases, eight families were found living in one house.
Those villas that are deemed inhabitable will be demolished, while others will be repaired for use by Emiratis in need of emergency housing.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
