Water supply projects, environment hazards in Dakhiliyah discussed

NIZWA, NOV 27

The Municipal Council here has hosted experts from the Oman Water and Sanitation Services Company and Oman Environmental Services Holding Company — be’ah to discuss aspects related to the project for strengthening the drinking water distribution in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate. The meeting, presided over by Shaikh Hilal bin Said al Hajri, Governor of Al Dakhiliyah and Chairman of the Municipal Council, also reviewed the projects implemented and those in progress.

The governor valued the efforts and cooperation of the members in the implementation of various projects. The council also approved the minutes of the previous meeting and reviewed recommendations.

The council discussed the challenges being faced by the company and suggested appropriate ways to deal with them. The damage to roads as a result of cutting the asphalt layer to pass the water pipes and the impact on aflaj were also debated. The council stressed the need to take serious steps to deal with the damage.

The council also dealt with the issue of water outages and frequent leaks and the measures that should be taken by the company. Delay in responding to communications and the importance of dealing quickly with water pollution due to lack of maintenance of distribution tanks were also discussed.

The council discussed with specialists in Oman Environmental Services Holding Company - be’ah aspects related to negative phenomena and practices, behaviours, issues and abuses by some companies and individuals in harming the environment and wildlife.

Such acts include indiscriminate disposal of waste materials, particularly from the crushing of mountains and throwing it into wadis and open public places.

Ali bin Nasser al Busaidy, a member of the Municipal Council, representative of Nizwa, reviewed, through a video presentation, the plight of the Wadi Kalboh stream caused by the disposal of solid and sewage waste in it, resulting in the pollution of environment and groundwater reserves.

The council directed the company’s experts to provide solutions and visions to curb such practices.

The meeting came out with a number of recommendations, visions and aspirations that would develop the governorate in various aspects.