MADINAH, 6 November 2007 — A court here recently delayed the process of looking into the case of the much-debated issue of pollution in well water in the Hamra Al-Assad area between Madinah and Abyar Ali.
Judge Sulaiman Al-Duwaish agreed to delay the case on the request of Saud Al-Hujaili, the lawyer representing citizens who have filed the case, Al-Madinah newspaper reported yesterday. The case has been delayed to allow Al-Hujaili put together an effective case.
Citizens of the area had claimed on previous occasions when the case was postponed that some government agencies were trying to obstruct justice for them.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Council in Madinah is scheduled to hold its third meeting to discuss the issue after the previous two meetings failed to produce a result. The meeting has been scheduled after Salih Al-Ghadi, the deputy of the municipality, admitted that there was a problem.
Reports, with pictures taken from the area, presented by various committees at the council proved that there was a problem of pollution at Hamra Al-Assad, embarrassing the municipality, which had previously denied the existence of pollution.
Madinah Mayor Abdul Aziz Al-Hussayyen previously said, “Pollution is an important issue, but the reports we have show there is no pollution in water wells at Hamra Al-Assad. In my opinion a neutral body should study the case. The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) can take samples and examine them to reassure citizens.”
He had also said that Madinah is one of the cleanest cities in the Kingdom.
Subsequently, PME reports stated that the garbage yard at Hamra Al-Assad was polluted, but not its wells.
Speaking about this, Al-Hujaili said the PME is not a neutral body and is among a number of agencies under investigation.
The municipality did not accept reports from the Science Department at Taiba University that confirmed the public concern. According to studies, chemical pollution at Hamra Al-Assad negatively affects the health of local people, their food and livestock.
