Taiz a land filled with garbage
“Taiz used to seem extremely riveting,” Maryam Othman, a Taiz resident, said. “Now it has turned into a desperate, disfigured and garbage-laden city.”
Many locals complain about the garbage, so dominant in the streets that it is noticed everywhere. Ahmed Al-Hakimi, a private sector employee and a Taiz resident, said the trash has become especially disturbing following the spread of flies and mosquitoes—attracted to the trash—in several neighborhoods.
He said many places in Taiz have gone replete with trash and sewage. These places have been calling on those at the helm to resolve the problem because it blemishes the culture and the beauty of the city.
The recent strike by street cleaners resulted in the accumulation of the garbage. This drove some locals to rid of their trash through burning. By burning the trash, the problem was exacerbated. The smoldering trash created further disturbances for locals.
Maryam Othman, a resident of Al-Diary Al-Jadeed Street, said Taiz has gotten itself into a garbage and sewage quagmire.
“Smoke and vile smells spread everywhere,” Othman said. “Taiz used to seem extremely riveting. Now it has turned into a desperate, disfigured and garbage-laden city.”
Haneen Yaseen, a student in Al-Thwara school, said she had resentment about the situation of garbage accumulation in her city.
“Although the bad stench of the garbage begins to decrease, the problem is not completely solved,” Yaseen said. “For two months, no official action has been effectively taken to solve this issue.”
Ameen Darhim, a businessman, asserted the importance of Governor Shawqi Hael's role to end the problem Taiz’s garbage issue.
“Sana'a suffered from the same problem,” Darhim said. “However, Abdulkadir Helal, the general secretary of the capital city, made field visits to the streets of the capital and cast a look on the problem the people endured. He also responded to the demands of the street workers.”
In an interview with Yemen Times, Hael said that he has met the head of the cleaning sector in the governorate to solve this problem.
“This problem will be solved during the next week,” he said, pointing out that the current cleaners will be replaced with other ones if they fail to perform their duties.
Hael said he will motivate locals to cooperate with street cleaners and to take part in street cleaning.
“You will see Taiz in a different way in the next days,” he promised.
Health catastrophe
Garbage accumulation results in many diseases and hazardous epidemics. Garbage is a good breeding ground for the spread of infectious insects, according to Taha Al-Rafaee, a doctor in Al-Rafaee Hospital in Taiz.
“The accumulation of the trash is fit for flies, mosquitoes and bacteria that spread diseases among people. There are also other ailments resulting from garbage burning, including asthma.”
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