Muscat – The Environment Authority (EA), in cooperation with the Royal Oman Police (ROP), has caught expatriates who were found burning wild trees for the purpose of producing charcoal in South Batinah on Thursday.

In a statement, EA said, ‘The environment department in South Batinah governorate, in cooperation with ROP, has arrested expat workers who were burning large number of wild trees at a farm in the wilayat of Barka for the purpose of producing charcoal to be sold in the local market.’

The crackdown was part of the efforts exerted by the environment department to curb the cutting down and burning of wild trees to produce charcoal. ‘This is prohibited by the law due to its negative effect on ecological balance and the spread of desertification,’ EA stated.

Legal action has been taken against the offenders.