Bahrain is set to crack down on illegal interference with agricultural drainage systems, as MPs prepare to debate tougher action aimed at safeguarding farmland and vital water infrastructure.
Under the revised framework, penalties will be significantly increased compared to the current law, with offenders facing fines ranging from BD1,000 to BD10,000 and imprisonment of no less than three months.
Repeat violations will carry doubled penalties.
The draft law also introduces new administrative tools allowing authorities to order violators to remove obstructions and repair damages within a maximum period of one month. In urgent cases, the competent authority may carry out the removal itself and charge the costs to the offender.
The public utilities and environment affairs committee has approved amendments to Decree-Law No (1) of 1985 regulating agricultural drains, introducing tougher fines and prison terms for violations such as blocking water channels, altering their course, constructing over them, or failing to comply with drainage instructions issued by the relevant authority.
The reforms also grant the administration wider powers to remove violations directly and recover costs from offenders, marking a shift towards immediate enforcement rather than prolonged legal procedures.
Committee chairman MP Mohammed Al Bulooshi said the amendments are essential to safeguard a critical national resource.
“Agricultural drainage networks are not secondary infrastructure – they are vital to protecting agricultural land, ensuring water flow, and preventing environmental and economic damage,” he said. “This law strengthens our ability to act quickly and decisively against any encroachment or obstruction.”
Mr Al Bulooshi stressed that the goal is deterrence as much as enforcement.
“We are closing gaps that previously allowed some violations to persist or delay corrective action. The updated law ensures that harm is addressed immediately and that accountability is unavoidable,” he said.
The amendments further empower authorised inspection officers – granted judicial enforcement status – to enter agricultural lands and inspect compliance. However, access to residential premises remains subject to Public Prosecution approval, reinforcing legal safeguards.
According to the committee report, the reform also updates terminology and institutional references to align with Bahrain’s current administrative structure, replacing outdated references to the Commerce and Agriculture Ministry with the Ministry concerned with agricultural affairs.
MPs said the changes reflect both environmental and economic priorities, particularly in protecting farmland productivity and preventing water system disruption that could affect wider agricultural output.
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