Regulation No. 24 on the development of the Wadi Rum Area

Regulation No. (24) for the Year 2001 Regulation for the Development of Wadi Rum Area Issued in Accordance with Articles (11) and (56) of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Law No. (32) for the Year 2000 Article (1) This Regulation shall be known as the (Regulation for the Development of Wadi Rum Area for the Year 2001), and shall come into effect as of the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. Article (2) The following words and phrases wherever mentioned in this Regulation shall have the meanings ascribed thereto hereunder unless the context indicates otherwise: Law Authority Board Chief Commissioner Commissioner Wadi Rum Area Infrastructure The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Law. The Authority of the Zone. The Board of Commissioners. The Chairman of the Board. The Commissioner of Environmental Affairs. The Area announced pursuant to the decision No (18) by the Board of the Aqaba Regional Authority in its session No 1/96, dated 1/7/1996, and any amendments thereon approved by the Board after the enforcerment of the provisions of this Regulation and endorsed by the Council of Ministers. All movable and immovable facilities, amenities and installations falling within Wadi Rum Area's perimeters including roadways, pedestrians and riding animals' passage ways, camp sites, coJlecting garbage and waste installations, billboards and land border marks. Article (3) The Authority shall, in coordination with the relevant bodies, assume the following powers in the Wadi Rum Area: A· Developing Wadi Rum Area and premises thereof, improving its efficiency to achieve growth in all aspects therein, promoting tourism, developing basic services therein and creating work opportunities in fields of tourists, handicrafts, mountain climbing and desert guiding to improve life conditions of the Area's inhabitants. B- Preserving the historical heritage, geological compositions and unique natural landscapes of Wadi Rum Area. C- Preserving wild creatures whether plants, animals and birds in the Area. D- Relocating endangered wild creatures such as (Badan) and Arabian gazelle by means of creating appropriate environment for such in the area, and maintaining the original environment conditions which is appropriate thereto and any other means. E- Preserving historical places, facilitating access thereto and providing necessary information thereabout through different means to introduce such. F- Preserving Wadi Rum Area's environment, preventing pollution sources and preserving public safety. G- Increasing level of environmental education and awareness to identify importance and vulnerability of environment and methods of preserving and sustaining such. H- Exchanging expertise and information with relevant local and international bodies. Article (4) A- A special committee named the "Wadi Rum Area Committee" shall be formed in the Authority to administer the Area, under the Chairmanship of the Commissioner, and the membership of the following: Wadi Rum Area's Director Vice-Chairman One representative of the Minisrty of Tourism and Antiquities nominated by the Minster of Tourism and Antiquities. Three Members appointed by the Chief Commissioner upon the Commissioner's recommendation provided they include representative(s) of local community. B- The Committee shall undertake the following tasks: 1- Establishing the policy necessary for Wadi Rum Area's administration, development and improvement in accordance with the accredited Environmental Management Plan, and submitting such to the Chief Commissioner to be presented to the Board to issue a decision thereon. 2- Preparing an annual administration plan for Wadi Rum Area subject to the Board's approval, and overseeing its implementation. 3- Defining necessary allocations for the Wadi Rum Area's expenditures to be approved by the Board and listed within the Area's annual budget. 4- Drafting administrative, financial and technical instructions and submitting them to the Chief Commissioner to be presented to the Board to issue a decision thereon. 5- Seeking the advice of people of expertise and competence in preparing necessary studies to develop and promote Wadi Rum Area. 6- Any other tasks required for Wadi Rum Area's good performance and assigned thereto by the Chief Commissioner. Article (5) A- The Committee shall convene its meetings upon an invitation by the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman in his absence at least once every month. The quorum shall be met upon the attendance of the majority of the members, provided that the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman shall be one of them. The Committee shall issue its decisions by majority vote of its members. If the votes are tied, then the vote of the meeting's Chairman shall be determinant. B- The Committee shall document all its activities and shall submit its decisions and recommendations to the Chief Commissioner to adopt necessary actions thereon. Article (6) A-The Director of Wadi Rum Area shall oversee the implementation the Environmental Management Plan for the Area, which includes the following: 1- The roadmap for vehicles allowed to enter the Area, and lanes for pedestrians and riding animals. 2- The appropriate locations to establish and develop tourist camp sites within Wadi Rum Area to harbor tourists and provide them with any necessary services. 3- The hiking places and routs and training the Area's habitants on hiking and rescue operations. 4- The pastures within Wadi Rum Area in accordance with pasturing seasons, and monitoring livestock movement. 5- The specific entrance and exit points to visit Wadi Rum Area, and monitoring such through approved scouts by the Authority. B- In order to achieve the purposes and goals of Wadi Rum Area, the Director shall assume the following authorities: 1- Issuing daily permits necessary to allow owners of private cars entering Wadi Rum Area. \ 2- Regulating the use of private vehicles which belong to the inhabitants of the Area for transporting tourists to their destinations. 3- Establishing specifications of vehicles for tourist transport whether as to the outer appearance or the type of upholstery or the technical and mechanical readiness of the vehicle and the requirements to be met in the driver. 4- Establishing bases to facilitate the use of all facilities within Wadi Rum Area so as to insure the safety and comfort of tourists. Article (7) Subject to the provisions of any enacted legislation in the Kingdom, the Board may, upon the Chief Commissioner's recommendation, contract with competent parties to develop or manage any part of the Wadi Rum Area in accordance with a conract concluded for this purpose. Article (8) A- The amounts incurred to Wadi Rum Area from implementing the provisions of this Regulation and the compensations resulting from violating its provisions shall be allocated in a special account within the Authority's budget to expend therefrom on the purposes and activities of Wadi Rum Area and villages of Dieseh Basin. B- The Committee of Wadi Rum Area may accept donations and grants given thereto subject to the Board's approval, provided that the Council of Minister's approval is secured where the source of such donations is non-Jordanian. Article (9) A- Subject to legal liability, it shall be prohibited to undertake any actions, activities or procedures that may result in the destruction, damage or deterioration of the natural environment, or damaging the wild and plant life, or affect the esthetic of Wadi Rum Area. In particular, it shall be prohibited to undertake the following: 1- Constructing within the Wadi Rum Area's perimeters, excluding the village site existing in Rum and the visitor's center, provided that provisions of zoning and the instructions issued in accordance with this Regulation are taken into account when constructing therein. 2- Entering and exiting Wadi Rum Area from other than the specified areas. 3- Entering to no-entry places without official authorization. 4- Mining, stone-crashing and engraving and quarries. 5- Hunting, transferring or harming wild animals, birds and reptiles, or undertaking any action that may lead to harming such. 6- Destroying or damaging geological compositions or places that are considered habitation, reproduction or migration places of species of animals, birds and plants. 7- Writing, painting or engraving any compositions of Wadi Rum Area. 8- Timbering or destroying plant cover (Flura). 9- Polluting soil, water or air resources. 10- Entering exotic (alien) animal or plant species to Wadi Rum Area. 11- Undertaking any procedures which affect Wadi Rum Area's environment such as lighting fire or littering within the Area. 12- Driving vehicles outside the designated roads. 13-Pasturing in other than the allowed areas and seasons. B- Subject to legal liability, it shall also be prohibited to engage in any tourist, agricultural, industrial, commercial, service, collective or individual sporting activities or conducting military exercises unless pursuant to a permit obtained by the Chief Commissioner or Commissioner as the case may be, and according to the conditions and basis established in accordance with the instructions issued by the Board for this purpose. Article (10) The Wadi Rum Area's employees, public security forces shall be entitled to seize any offence, organize a violation ticket and undertake any appropriate procedures according to the provisions of Environmental Protection Law, any enacted legislation and this Regulation. The forms for the violations minutes and any procedures related thereto shall be specified pursuant to instructions issued by the Board for this purpose. Article (11) The committed violations shall be referred to the Governor of Aqaba to undertake necessary legal actions against violators. Article (12) A- The Board shall issue the necessary instructions for implementing the provisions of this Regulation, including the following: 1- Determining charges collected by the Wadi Rum Area's Committee in exchange of using its facilities and the services rendered therein. 2- Specifying the forms of adopted documents necessary for expenditure and receipt and persons authorized to sign such. B- The instructions issued in accordance with the provisions of this Regulation shall be published in the Official Gazette.