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Al Nahda residents in sordid conditions
SHARJAH — Al Nahda in Sharjah, an emerging upmarket area in the emirate with plush residential buildings and skyrocketing rents,
Continues to have unpleasant sights of stagnant water pools and construction wastes dumped in open plots of land.
Besides, the roads are unpaved in some parts, causing inconvenience for the residents and posing health hazards.
One such area located across the Etisalat Building in Al Nahda with clusters of buildings and more under construction has become a cause of concern for residents who allege that the civic body had turned a deaf ear to their complaints.
“We have been suffering for the past couple of months with stagnant pools of waste water only increasing with every passing day and restricting vehicular movement in the area,” complained A. Hussien who finds it difficult to manoeuvre his way home on unpaved roads.
With more buildings coming up in the area, and construction waste and stagnant pools spreading over plots of land, parking space available for residents of several buildings located on the one sq-km radius is shrinking. And sometimes, it becomes extremely difficult to reach home through cars blocking routes to buildings.
Although, the General Service Section of Sharjah Municipality, when contacted by Khaleej Times, assured that action would be taken immediately by the section depending on the complaints received.
“If the problem reported is minor, we will solve it within a couple of days, and if it is major, we will send a report to the head of the section to decide the right action plan to be taken,” said an official.
“We promise that the problem of the stagnant water pools will be resolved soon,” he said, adding that people facing any problem related to the cleanliness and hygiene of residential areas or any other problem should not hesitate to contact the emergency number of the civic body 993. “Once we receive a complaint, we immediately record all the required details in order to take necessary action,” he assured.
But, residents expressed the shortcomings of the civic body in maintaining hygiene standards in the upcoming residential areas being developed in Sharjah. Specially, Al Nahda area where rents are spiralling, the civic body should ensure that all the basic infrastructure is in place in the interest of the residents.
If building contractors are dumping construction wastes after completion of the buildings, or supplying water to their sites through water pipes that are often damaged or leaking, strict action needs to be taken against such contractors, the residents said.
Nesreen Hamdi, a resident, is annoyed by the daily sight of garbage dumps and stagnant water pools covered with filth, which are breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other insects.
“The area is heavily polluted with stagnant water which emits foul odour causing hardship for the tenants to move around the area and find parking space for cars,” he said, adding: “The area surrounding my building is covered with stinking water pools, instead of cars of the residents who struggle daily to find parking space. The stagnant water pool has been there in the area for a long time now and the civic body seems oblivious to the problem."
Dr Sami Yousef, another resident, urged the the civic body to take strict and quick measures in cleaning up the area which pose health hazards to residents, particularly children.
“The authority concerned should know that the stagnant water pools dumped with garbage and wastes is a thriving ground for breeding of mosquitoes and flies which are the main carriers of malaria and other diseases,” he said, adding: “I am bit uncomfortable living in this surrounding but cannot move out because of its convenient location,” he said, complaining that after paying such high rents, he should have the right to find decent and clean parking space around my building."
Sri Kumar, a resident of Al Nahda for three years, said in addition to the unhygienic environment “I am surprised that the roads leading to the building apartments are unpaved.”
“With heavy vehicles carrying construction material and moving around the area, the unpaved roads now have developed pot-holes damaging our car tyres. I only hope the authorities look into the residents woes and provide them with the necessary road infrastructure which is long awaited,” Sri Kumar pointed out.
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