MINA, 12 January 2006 — The 2.1 million pilgrims who came to perform Haj this year have consumed 150,000 cubic meters of desalinated water by the second day of Eid Al-Adha in Mina, according to Khaled Badri, the deputy general supervisor in the Directorate General of Water in the Makkah Region.
Badri said that water consumption in Mina decreased substantially compared to last year. The deputy supervisor general attributed this decrease to the installation of water-saving measures in many areas at the holy sites.
In addition to the water-saving techniques, services improved over last year; water was available on a 24-hour basis. Badri said that water distribution efforts were divided into different areas of Mina, each under the supervision of a working group that ensured that water service was maintained in its zone.
Last year the Ministry of Water and Electricity supplied the holy sites with 247,000 cubic meters of desalinated water daily. Of this, 220,000 came from Al-Shuaiba plant, the biggest desalination plant in the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health said yesterday that 91,912 pilgrims visited health centers in Makkah since the start of the march toward Arafat. Hospitals in Makkah and holy sites received 18,141 pilgrims, while 73,771 visited health centers. The ministry said in its daily bulletin that 715 pilgrims had been hospitalized and 550 of them treated and allowed to go.
22 Million Phone Calls
Pilgrims have made 22.3 million overseas phone calls from Arafat and Muzdalifah. According to the Saudi Telecom Company, this marks an increase of 23 percent over 17.2 million calls made in the last Haj. Pilgrims using Jawal made 1.7 million calls, an increase of 14 percent over the last Haj. SMS Eid messages this time totaled 63 million.
