“We have mobilized around 21,650 people to implement the plan in various fields. In order to keep Makkah’s central area around the Grand Mosque clean and tidy, there will be over 7,000 cleaners who will be provided with equipment to work around the clock,” he said.
Al-Bar said the municipality would implement the plan in coordination and cooperation with all agencies and government departments concerned including the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, police and the Guides Organization.
“University students and health institutes will be hired to work as temporary health monitors. There will also be central units to deal with emergency situations such as rain, flash floods, rockslides, fires and the like,” he said.
“Some 200 electric compressors will be used to dispose of garbage. During the Haj days, there will be over 6,000 cleaners working round the clock in Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat,” he said, adding that the cleaners will be strictly monitored and supervised.
The municipality also has some 1,310 rubbish bins with a total capacity to collect more than 1,300 tons of garbage at the holy sites during the Haj. The Haj plan also includes a string of measures to ensure a healthy environment during the annual pilgrimage. “The monitoring and supervision of markets, stores, fast-food outlets and restaurants will also be beefed up,” he said.
There are about 2,300 commercial shops and stores for foodstuffs in Makkah and around 2,229 temporary stores will be set up in the city during the pilgrimage. This is in addition to some 643 temporary shops, stalls, bakeries and barber shops that will be set up in the holy sites.
“The officials concerned will monitor all these places and ensure that they are meeting the required health and safety standards. Samples of all foodstuffs will be tested at the designated laboratories, and the expired foodstuffs will be seized,” he said.
Referring to sacrificial animals, Al-Bar said that a comprehensive plan is in place to monitor all animals brought to slaughterhouses in line with established health and safety standards.
“Some 57 centers have been set up at various entry points to the city to monitor the animals. Moreover, teams of vets will carry out field inspections to prevent outbreaks of any contagious diseases among the animals as well as to ensure that they are fit for consumption,” he said.
He added that the slaughterhouses in the holy sites have a total capacity to slaughter half a million animals.
