Keeping this scenario in mind, Waleed Al-Humeidi, assistant undersecretary for development affairs at the Governorate of Makkah province, said the people of Makkah living in various townships will face severe health and environmental problems created by sewage over the next four years.

He attributed this mainly to slow procedures in implementing sewage projects as well as conflict of viewpoints between the local council and the municipality in tackling the issue.

More than 36 government agencies in Makkah are involved in chalking out plans and appropriate solutions to change the current scenario, as well as to discuss topics concerned with water and sewage in addition to pinpointing the causes for the delay of some vital sewage projects in the city.

Residents in some districts of the holy city are facing problems due to delay in implementing sewage projects. For example, the residents of Al-Sharaie town have complained about acute environmental problems faced by them due to delay in implementing sewage projects.

There has been increasing presence of mosquitoes in the district, thus creating panic among the local residents about an imminent outbreak of dengue fever. This poses huge environmental hazard to the estimated 100,000 residents in the area.

The municipal council has urged the Makkah mayoralty to find a permanent solution to the sewage and environment problems facing some districts in the city. Subsequently, the mayoralty has directed the Water and Sewage Department to trace the origin of the sewage running on streets, especially in front of schools and commercial shops.