Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Carcasses dumped on the roadside, smoke billowing from burning garbage and dilapidated ramshackle houses are all common sights in the south Jeddah district of Al-Khumrah.



The alleys have become dens for violators who often trade in rubbish that is thrown away by homes, warehouses and factories.



Two members of the Presidency for Meteorology and the Environment (PME) accompanied Makkah daily’s reporter in a tour of the area.



The newspaper’s subsequent article uncovered an ugly side to the city. Al-Khumrah District is located in the southernmost point from the center of Jeddah.



It is surrounded in all directions by houses in unplanned areas.



Saleh Al-Nashiri, one of the local residents, said: “Al-Khumrah has been forgotten for a long time.



“It is even beyond Jeddah Municipality’s development projects.



“The supervisors cannot see the existing situation and the field teams are paralyzed.



“Not only this, but they have forgotten Al-Khumrah.



“The clearest evidence is that there are violations in broad daylight and expatriate workers roam in the area without any fear.”



The rising smoke led the reporting team to a dumping area with an area of 400 square meters. The burning and scavenging there is carried out by African national.



None of them showed concern or fear even though there were two municipal council officials in two vehicles and two PME supervisors in two others. They respond to the flashes from the camera by waving their hands and other mocking signs. They did not care about the media presence and continued with their work.



One of these workers told the newspaper: “We kindle the fire to melt the cables and extract copper while others work on melting iron and aluminum and separating them from other materials.



“Others were scavenging in the garbage heaps to collect what can be sold and separate them from what is of no value.”



Municipal council member Othman Al-Faqih said violators were staying at the edge of the garbage dumping area in huts they had constructed with pieces of wood and cartons.



Al-Faqih also said they had dug trenches that are used as garbage dumps.



He said: “These trenches have been dug away from the scrutiny of the municipality supervisors.



“The garbage is sorted and purified before it is melted to obtain the metals.



“The workers are more active in the evening after making sure that office hours are over.



“In the evening, the rising flames attract the attention of people passing by in the area.



“The pungent smell of the rising smoke affects residents and visitors to the district.



“The workers close the entrances and exits before leaving the place at dawn and open them at night for trucks loaded with garbage.



“They coincide their operations with the end of the municipal supervisors’ working hours to avoid arrest.”



During the tour among the heaps of garbage, we noticed a truck unloading its contents at a dumping area set up by illegal workers of African nationalities recently.



Al-Faqih said the truck driver sells the consignment to the head of the gang, who does not know what is in the heap. After receiving the money, the consignment is unloaded. The garbage is now owned by the buyer, who starts scavenging in the heap of garbage with the help of his gang to collect what can be sold.