Okaz

The districts of Al-Zumurod, Al-Yaqut and Al-Lulu, located in Obhur Al-Shamaliya, are very lucky. Jeddah Municipality is sympathetic to these districts and has announced that it plans to carry out a project to reduce the groundwater level there. However, there are many other neighborhoods that struggle with the problem of groundwater that causes a range of difficulties that include corrosion of foundations, swamps and the spread of illnesses.

If those three districts have the right to have groundwater projects, then other districts also have the same right. In fact, the municipality must put an end to the suffering experienced by people who live in the Taiba district, which has high levels of groundwater.

As a matter of fact, Taiba district, or Al-Rehaili as it is commonly known, is more deserving of this project. This district is located to the east of Obhur’s three neighborhoods. It is not only the oldest district in that area but the municipality started a project to reduce the groundwater level there six years ago. Residents were pleased with this, but then the municipality abandoned the project and left the streets peppered with gaping holes. These holes made life a misery and were dangerous, as a car even fell into one of them.

Many years after the project began, the people of Taiba district were shocked when the municipality simply covered the holes and announced that the project had been cancelled. This happened after many delays and the residents were left broken-hearted as sewage flowed through their streets.

The people of Taiba or Al-Rehaili have the right to say that Jeddah Municipality has forgotten them when they read about the municipality’s projects in nearby areas.