JEDDAH: NADIM AL-HAMID
Published — Saturday 13 September 2014

The city of Makkah has hired 5,000 workers to clean the holy sites during this year’s Haj, an official told Arab News on Thursday.

Abdulsalam Mashat, deputy mayor of the holy city, said the municipality has also placed 1,000 containers of various sizes at the holy sites.

Mashat said the municipalities in Makkah had set up 10 sub-branches and processed all their needs including labor and equipment related to hygiene, environmental health and monitoring of commercial markets and food stores.

He said the Makkah municipality would start operating 24 hours a day from Sept. 21. Officials would be working to issue seasonal permits for booths, monitor violations and check the work of contractors.

He said the municipalities of Ajyad and Gaza sub-branches would be sending out field committees to watch street peddlers and eliminate any illegal operations.

Mashat said the municipality had been working since the start of the month of Dul Qaada to ensure that all areas of the city are operating properly including bathrooms and spraying of insecticide in targeted areas. These operations would continue after Haj.

He said the holy sites were divided into 27 service areas equipped with field teams, workers and equipment. The city is geared up for the Haj, he said.

SOURCE: ARABNEWS.COM