By Ahmed Ali Al-Ghamdi
Okaz/Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH – Tayseer district, located east of Haramain Road in Jeddah, lacks municipal services, government schools and primary healthcare centers due to negligence of government departments, said its residents. They urged authorities to take immediate steps to carry out development projects in the district to enhance welfare of its people.
“It’s one of the modern districts in Jeddah but it lacks basic services required by residents,” said Naif Farwan while speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette. “We don’t have government schools and public health service facilities. Security situation is weak and the district has become a hideout of illegal foreign workers and violators of labor and residency regulations,” he pointed out.
A delegation of prominent personalities visited Jeddah Mayor Dr. Hani Aburas two months ago and informed him about the district’s development requirements. They presented the mayor 50 photos showing the poor condition of the district and dearth of municipal services. Although Aburas promised measures to improve services, nothing has changed on the ground.
He said the 50 photos that were showed to the mayor reflected the pathetic situation of the district, adding that the accumulation of construction waste and other garbage would cause an environmental catastrophe. “We have not seen any change on the ground despite our prolonged meeting with the mayor. The district’s condition has now become bad to worse,” he said.
“Surfacing of sewage water is one of the major problems facing the district,” said Farwan, adding that it has caused the spread of nasty smell and infectious diseases. Moreover, accumulation of garbage along the roads has made them playing grounds of rats and dogs.
He also referred to lack of street lights in some parts of the district, which falls into darkness with sunset. “Street light posts have been erected but we still await its launch. Dearth of telecommunication and Internet facilities is another major issue,” he explained. The road system inside the district must be repaired and asphalted to save motorists from accidents.
Rtd. Brig. Yousuf Al-Harbi expressed his anguish over the municipality’s continued negligence toward Tayseer despite huge funds allocated by the government for the development of cities and townships in various parts of the Kingdom.
Sheikh Mohammed Othman Al-Amoudi, imam of Al-Salam Mosque, also spoke about the district’s pathetic condition. “I am one of the district’s first residents. In the beginning, the municipality’s cleaning services were acceptable to a great extent but now the situation has become despicable. It shows the municipality’s negligence toward Tayseer,” he told Okaz/Saudi Gazette.
He said the appearance of sewage swamps in the streets was threatening public health. Al-Amoudi urged authorities to take immediate steps to clean the district, establish water and sewage networks and repair and asphalt its roads and streets.
Sulaiman Shakouri also warned against an environmental disaster in the district due to rising ground water level. “It will serve as a breeding ground for the most dangerous mosquitoes,” he pointed out.
He said a group of prominent personalities had met with Umm Al-Sulam municipality chairman several times to draw his attention to the poor municipal services in the district.
Lawyer Abdul Aziz Al-Rubaiaan stressed that authorities should not neglect a big district that accommodates thousands of families and individuals. “When officials show negligence, residents will develop a kind of depression and remorse, especially when the government has allocated enough funds for development projects,” he pointed out.
