Makkah – Shaaban 24 1429/ August 25, 2008 – The holy city of Makkah geared up to receive hundreds of thousands of Umrah pilgrims who flock to the Haram Mosque from all over the world during the holy month of Ramadan. Municipal authorities have made all the arrangements for the huge influx of pilgrims and visitors to the holy city during the holy month, said Makkah Mayor Dr. Osama Al Bar. “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has instructed the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to give the city’s hygiene services a facelift during the holy month,” the mayor said. Various branches of the Municipality across the city have already started implementing the King’s instructions with a package of improvements aimed at making Makkah look cleaner and healthier in the forthcoming Ramadan for the expected influx of more than two million visitors to perform Umrah, Al Bar said. “As part of the clean-up effort 5,600 workers, 600 street sweeping machines, and garbage trucks will work around the clock to keep the city clean,” he noted.
A team of more than 100 workers equipped with trucks and sweeping machines will be kept on stand-by to meet any possible emergency. The mayoralty has provided 145 pressurized garbage containers to keep trash secure and contain any bad smells. Fifty of them will be placed around the Holy Mosque. In addition, specially equipped vehicles will spray insecticide to combat diseases spread by insects. Health inspection committees have also been formed to inspect various locations such as restaurants, open-air markets, slaughterhouses, and water pumping stations to ensure all health and safety standards are being met.
Inspectors will take samples of food for testing as well as checking worker health certificates. Veterinarians check the lungs and liver of every animal at slaughterhouses for diseases like Tuberculosis before they are sent to the market for distribution. Any establishment failing to meet the requirements will be fined, Al-Bar said. The city’s roads, sewage, water networks, and public toilets will be closely monitored by the mayoralty, the mayor said. Six parking lots set up around the holy city have been equipped with mosques, baths, and cafeterias. Buses have also been organized to take visitors to the Haram Mosque. Visitors may not be allowed to drive their vehicles to the premises of the Holy Mosque to avoid traffic congestion during Ramadan. “We thank Allah for the exhaustive efforts of the civil authorities have helped us avoid an epidemic over the last few years,” he added.
Makkah Governor Prince Khaled Al Faisal has instructed officials to put more efforts to upgrade the services provided to Haj and Umrah pilgrims. Chairing a meeting of the Central Haj Committee in Jeddah recently, the governor underscored the need to improve the performance of people who work in pilgrim-related industries, particularly in light of the growing number of pilgrims during Ramadan. Large numbers of domestic pilgrims are currently visiting the holy city making use of the summer vacation.
HA/IINA
0 Responses to “Over three million Umrah visas issued, says Haj Minister”