Sultan orders building of Khorfakkan-Shees waterline

Jihan Shuaib, Staff Reporter

Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi  ordered a waterline project to be initiated from Khorfakkan to Shees.

The project was carried out by the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (Sewa) and the trial operation of the project began on Sunday.

The waterline, which is 24km long and 300mm in diameter, passes through tunnels on Khorfakkan Street, Eng. Ahmed Al Mulla, Director of Sewa in Khorfakkan, said via the Direct Line programme broadcast live on Sharjah Radio and TV.

Due to the difference in levels from Khorfakkan to Shees, which is as high as 400 metres, Sewa had to build tanks and three pumping stations, which were divided into three phases, he said. The first phase reaches Al Rafisah Dam, while the second station is named Pumping Station 2 and the third station is before Al Multaqa Tunnel, he added. Each station consists of 3 pumps: the first station has two tanks, the capacity of each is 300,000 gallons, while the second and third stations have three pumps each, he said. There is a 300,000 gallon main tank after the Al Multaqa tunnel on the island located half way from Khorfakkan to Sharjah and a 100,000 gallon tank before Shees and feeds it completely, he added.

Recently, Sheikh Sultan inspected, work progress of the expansion project of Khorfakkan University.

The Ruler of Sharjah announced that Khorfakkan University will introduce new majors such as engineering, science and technology, in addition to the previous majors taught at the University of Sharjah in Khorfakkan branch, pointing out that the university buildings and facilities will be ready to receive students in the upcoming academic year.

He listened to a detailed explanation from Ali Bin Shaheen Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Public Works, about the work progress of the project and the stages accomplished so far.

The expansion project consists of an administrative building that includes administrative offices, service offices and meeting rooms, in addition to a male building and another for female students, each includes classrooms, computer laboratories, administrative offices, meeting and prayer rooms.

The project also includes the implementation of an internal road and parking lots.

Sheikh Sultan directed to implement a number of new service buildings, such as housing for teaching staff and another for students, along with a gym for male students.

He directed the establishment of outdoor playgrounds, one of which will include stands and basic facilities, in addition to secondary playgrounds for various games.

The Ruler of Sharjah also directed to plant the inner area of the university campus and the mountains surrounding the area.

From Oct.18 to 21, the Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH) hosted in Khorfakkan the second Arab Heritage Film Festival.

The second edition was dedicated to Esmat Yahya, a late artist.

“Lovers of heritage and cinema are in for a treat with the second edition of the Arab Festival of Heritage Film, which showcases a group of films that open up a new horizon in the history of Arab cinema by highlighting the Arab heritage through a number of documentaries and realistic heritage-related films in an attempt to explore history and revive its gist,” said Dr Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and Honourary President of the Festival.

The choice of Khorfakkan to host the festival, according to Ahmed Salem Al Bairaq, Director of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage’s Institutional Communication Department, confirms the city’s importance, strategic location and historical position, distinction in traditional handicrafts, and rich heritage of folk arts, folk stories, and tales.

The festival aims to accomplish a number of objectives, including encouraging institutions, bodies, and individuals to become interested in heritage documentary film, achieving communication and interaction among stakeholders, creating a channel of communication between workers in the field of cinema and heritage, and creating films that express our heritage and civilisation, and also encouraging the students of colleges and specialised art institutes who are interested in this field.