Okaz/Saudi Gazette

MAKKAH — Residents of Batha Quraish District in Makkah have expressed their indignation over the increasing number of kitchens in the neighborhood, saying smoke and sewage that come out from kitchens pollute environment.

The residents also urged the municipality to review the conditions for issuing licenses to open kitchens and shift them to remote places away from residential districts, like automobile workshops.

Mikhdar Al-Majnouni, Ali Al-Assaf and Salim Al-Ghamdi jointly raised their voice against the kitchens saying they spread pulmonary diseases in the district as a result of smoke that comes out from these kitchens.

“We are forced to close our windows day and night to protect our children from smoke,” said Al-Majnouni while speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette.

Hassan Al-Malki highlighted the negative impact of kitchens that provide catering services.

“We have realized harmfulness of these kitchens,” he added.

Apart from smoke, the kitchens also cause the spread of sewage and garbage in the district, thus creating nasty smell and polluted atmosphere.

“The municipality should remove these kitchens from Batha Quraish before they create an environmental catastrophe,” he said.

Ayed Al-Buqami also stressed the role of kitchens in polluting the district’s environment. “The sewage that leaks from these kitchens creates swamps in nearby streets,” he told Okaz/Saudi Gazette.

He said the sewage and garbage that come out from kitchens serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes and mice. He urged the municipality to take immediate action to shift the kitchens from Batha Quraish to remote places.

Fahd Al-Otaibi said the kitchens were also causing traffic congestion as a large number of vehicles parks in front of them haphazardly.

Many expatriates work in these kitchens late at night causing disturbance to families, he added.

Ali Al-Zahrani spoke about the negative effects of kitchens on health as a result of smoke and sewage. The municipality must review the standards and conditions for issuing licenses to open such kitchens.

Emad Ali Al-Saadi, spokesman of Makkah municipality, said the kitchens mentioned in the report were licensed and they come under intense monitoring regime of the municipality’s health officials.

“Our officials make sure that the kitchens follow hygienic regulations. We also ensure they supply healthy food to customers. We also deploy squads to inspect these kitchens especially during the Haj season,” Al-Saadi said.