BD 10,000 Fine Proposed for Obstructing Agricultural Drains

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Manama: The proposed amendments to certain provisions of Decree-Law No. (4) of 1985 on the regulation of agricultural drains are scheduled to be reviewed during an upcoming session of the Council of Representatives following a report by the relevant parliamentary committee.

Under the draft law, anyone found obstructing agricultural drains, altering their course, building structures over them, stopping water flow, diverting drainage routes, or ignoring official instructions related to water discharge could face stricter legal consequences.

Current legislation provides for imprisonment of up to three months and a fine not exceeding BD500, or either of the two penalties. The new amendments would raise the punishment to imprisonment of no less than three months, along with fines ranging from BD1,000 to BD10,000, while preserving the court’s authority to impose harsher penalties where other laws apply.

The proposed law also states that penalties will be doubled if the same violation is repeated within one year of the expiry of the previous sentence.

In addition, the draft grants the Agricultural Banks Authority the authority to intervene once a violation is confirmed. The authority would first notify violators to remove obstructions, repair damages at their own expense, and comply within a specified period not exceeding one month.

In urgent cases, or if the violator fails to comply within the deadline, the authority would be empowered to remove the obstruction itself, carry out repairs, and recover the costs from the violator.

The amendments also grant designated employees judicial enforcement powers to inspect farms and agricultural lands for violations, based on decisions issued by the Minister of Justice in coordination with the Minister of Agriculture. However, inspectors would not be permitted to enter homes or residential areas without approval from the Public Prosecution.

The draft also updates administrative terminology in the original 1985 law to reflect current government structures, replacing outdated ministry and department names.

According to the Public Utilities and Environment Committee, the proposed amendments aim to modernise the law, protect Bahrain’s agricultural drainage network, ensure uninterrupted water flow, and safeguard agricultural land and the wider public interest.