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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 July 2000 Issue No. 491 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 July 2000 Issue No. 491
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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(photo: Sherif Sonbol)Saying no to pollution
RESIDENTS of the neighbourhoods of Hassan Mohamed and Amr Ibn Al-Aas in the Pyramids district of Giza governorate could not take it any more. For eight months, their district was submerged in sewage. This week they decided to do something about it. So on Monday, hundreds of citizens converged at the Giza governorate headquarters, blocking traffic for hours, and peacefully demonstrated their frustration. Their hoisted placards proclaimed: "No to fear, no to sewage, no to pollution".
Governorate authorities responded promptly. Representatives of the protesters were received by top officials and Giza Governor Mahmoud Abul-Leil promised that a fleet of dredger trucks would be sent immediately to the rescue. The demonstrators, however, resolved to remain at the governorate premises until the trucks were actually on their way. According to governorate officials, temporary measures would solve the current problem within 48 hours.
"For eight months the sewage has been as high as the fourth step of the entrance to my building. We can only get into the building via a wooden bridge we have installed ourselves," resident Mohamed Abdel-Hayy told the local press.
It all came to a head last week, when the waste water triggered a fire in an electricity cable. Fire trucks rushed to the scene, but could only circle the general area for hours -- it was impossible to get through the flooded streets to reach the blaze.
A radical solution is in the offing, however. Governor Abul-Leil announced that LE7 million have been earmarked for a comprehensive sewage solution in the area. The overhaul is to be finished by next October.
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