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Abu Dhabi: It was his second visit to Dubai during his two decades of life in the desert, but for him it was just a busy city.
"Although I spent only some hours in Dubai, I felt that tall buildings with modern facilities and colourful environment don't make people happy", said Kunju Ahmad Kutty , 50, an Indian who works in a forestation project in a desert; about 200 km away from Abu Dhabi city.
He feels, the calm and quiet life in the desert gives him inner happiness, so he never wanted to visit cities in the past 20 years. "Once in a month I visit Abu Dhabi city to send money back home but return as soon as possible to the temporary camp in the desert near the Saudi -UAE border", said Kutty.
Planting trees
Both his visits to Dubai were out of compulsion. He does not exactly remember his first visit. "It was about ten years ago to Dubai airport to go home, as I did not get ticket from Abu Dhabi". A fortune enabled his second visit. He won a prize of Dh 100,000 in the weekly post card millionaire draw, during the first week last month.
Apart from monthly visits to Abu Dhabi, he has visited Al Ain twice to meet his friends and relatives.
"Although almost all my colleagues visit cities to meet their friends and relatives, I enjoy confining myself to the desert environment and trees planted by us", said Kutty. Winning the prize is not a big deal for him. "It may be useful to fulfil some of my responsibilities", said Kutty whose wife and two children are in Kerala.
Lack of facilities in the desert gives them more opportunities to help and co operate each other.
"Mobile phone and television channels are our links with the outside world". No news paper reaches here. The Asian and Arab workers enjoy the satisfaction of planting the trees and seeing to their growth.
"It is like bringing up our own children", said Kutty.
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