Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH — Residents of Rimah governorate, located northeast of Riyadh, are planning to take legal action against crusher plant owners for polluting the region and endangering the lives of 30,000 people by causing the spread of various diseases including asthma and other chest ailments. The residents accused that most crusher plants in the area were operating without license. They expressed their surprise over the continuation of these plants in the area despite an official decision taken several years ago to close them. The residents have presented a complaint to the minister of municipal and rural affairs explaining the problems created by the crusher plants for them and their children. "These plants are operating in the area in a haphazard manner and without following environmental conditions, harming the region and its people," said Dhaidan Abuthnain. "These plants along the Rimah-Riyadh Road are causing large scale pollution. They have also changed the topography of the area by closing nearby wells and valleys," he told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. The plants have caused a number of road accidents claiming the lives of several people in the past years, Abuthnain said while threatening to sue the crusher plant owners. "We have already presented an official complaint to the minister of municipal and rural affairs," he said and urged authorities to shift the crushers to a location away from residential districts. Falah Al-Subaihi said he could not fathom the reason for the continued operation of the crusher plants in Rimah after authorities have decided to shift them to another location. "The plants have tarnished the image of Rimah and harmed its environment by throwing waste in wells and valleys and spreading various diseases among residents," he said while urging authorities to intervene quickly to shift the plants to remote areas. Saeed Abdullah said the license for operation of these plants has ended long time ago, adding that they are operating in the region without license. "Some crusher owners are using the license they have obtained from Rimah municipality for batching plants," Abdullah said and called upon authorities to take punitive action against violators. "We are planning to file a suit against these crusher plants at the Court of Grievances to to shift them to another location away from residential areas," he explained. "The number of such illegal crusher plants is increasing day by day and have become the hideout of undocumented foreign workers," Abdullah said. Dr. Zaki Al-Bakri, an environmentalist, also opposed the presence of crushers in residential areas, saying it would cause environmental pollution and spread diseases. "One of the conditions for licensing a crusher plant is that it should be located away from residential areas. They should also take precautions to prevent pollution," he said. "The plants are required to use a specific kind of filter to absorb dust and take measures to reduce noise pollution. The plant's base should be fixed properly to prevent shaking," Al-Bakri said. Rimah is about 90 from Riyadh. It has a number of small cities and many people visit its resorts every year.
