MAKKAH, 9 March 2004 — A filthy area of rotting vegetation and stagnant water is annoying and inconveniencing residents of Om Al-Jood area. The stink that comes from the area drives away visitors to recreational sites on the old Makkah-Jeddah highway, according to Al-Nadwa newspaper. The area is an ideal breeding ground for insects and mosquitoes.
Residents of nearby neighborhoods are upset because the municipality and concerned authorities have done nothing about the problem.
“I travel every day on the old Makkah-Jeddah highway. To be honest, the smell from the area is awful and the insects breeding there are dangerous to our health,” said Saeed Al-Malki.
“Lots of garbage is still being thrown into the area and this increases both the filth and the terrible smell. The smell is a constant problem and we demand that officials find the source of the water and fix it or fill in the area because it surrounds the neighborhood and makes it almost impossible to live in,” he added.
According to Aref Abdul Rahman many people will leave the area if the situation continues like this. “People love to come here, especially at night, to relax after a hard day of work. Officials neglect the area. We do not have street lights; most of our roads are full of holes,” he said.
“In fact, all the roads need maintenance work, and something should be done about this putrid smell. We are on the road to environmental disaster in this neighborhood because insects will carry disease and force residents out of the area.”
Muhy Al-Deen, another resident, said the water comes from a drinkable source but because it has not been taken care of, it has become polluted and stagnant. “We could have used the water for agricultural purposes but instead, it has become home to all kinds of pests,” he said.
