Sharjah: His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, today approved Dh100 million for replacing fire-risk cladding on 40 buildings, it was announced on the Direct Line programme broadcast on Sharjah TV and radio.

The programme hosted Engineer Khalifa bin Hada Al Suwaidi, director of technical services at Sharjah Municipality, who said the move represents the first phase of the project, which will start this week and last for six months.

In the second phase, 163 more buildings will be covered. All these buildings are above seven floors high.

Al Suwaidi said this is the first such project in the world in which the government is bearing the cost of replacing fire-risk cladding with safer materials.