Over 21,000 workers cleaning holy sites MAKKAH/MINA – The General Presidency of the Affairs of the Holy Mosque of Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque has opened all 176 doors of the Grand Mosque in Makkah for the entry and exit of pilgrims. As many as 1,000 male and female employees have been deputed at these doors to serve pilgrims and to organize their entry and exit. The Presidency has also allocated 18 doors for people with special needs. Meanwhile, over 21,000 workers are frantically clearing the waste from the holy sites to prevent an outbreak of contagious disease. Makkah Mayoralty has mobilized all it's resources to clear away the trash from the Mina, Muzdalifa, Arafat and Al-Haram areas. “We have long experience in keeping the holy sites clean. We are constantly carrying out inspections to ensure that the environment in the holy sites is clean,” said Mayor of Makkah Dr. Osama Bin Fadhl Al-Bar. We are also using a modern treatment plant to cope with the large amounts of waste from millions of slaughtered animals. “We used to bury the animal waste, but this had a very bad effect on the environment,” said Engineer Arif Bin Abdullah Qadhi. The new plant has a capacity of 500 tons daily which converts waste into natural fertilizers. The plant first removes all fats. Qadhi said that the plant can complete the treatment of all the waste within eight days. Mayoralty authorities said that a new tube system to pump waste from the holy sites will begin operating soon. This will pump sewage to two specially selected locations in Mina. Pilgrims have expressed their approval of the new methods used in collecting the garbage. Libyan pilgrim Quwaidir praised the high standard of cleaning in Mina, where heaps of garbage accumulate due to its small area and the presence of over three million pilgrims at one time. “Wherever you look you see cleaners or garbage dumpsters. This keeps the environment clean and free of foul smells and enables pilgrims to perform Haj rituals with safety and peace of mind,” he said. Kuwaiti pilgrim Ruqayah Al-Khamees praised the cleanliness in the Grand Mosque and Mina. “Garbage is immediately collected. This proves the holy sites are receiving great attention from the workers and the authorities in charge of keeping Makkah and the holy sites clean,” she said. __
