MUNICIPAL councillors across the country have called for contingency cleanliness plans amid a noticeable decrease in sanitation workers and as more people are staying at home during the coronavirus outbreak, the GDN's Reem Al Daaysi reports.

They highlighted how Bahraini volunteers and civil organisations have taken the initiative to sweep the streets and clear garbage bags from neighbourhoods as many migrant workers have been taken into precautionary quarantine to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Municipal bodies in all four governorates have expressed gratitude to the volunteers but have also highlighted the need for contingency plans if the situation does not improve.

Foreign labourers account for more than 50 per cent of the total 1,740 Covid-19 cases registered in the country since February 24. This includes the 1,008 active cases, the 725 recoveries and seven deaths.

The Northern Municipal Council has already approved an urgent request to get details of the cleanliness situation in the Northern Governorate as garbage has been piling up in neighbourhoods.

Councillor Abdulla Al Qubaisi, who spearheaded the request, explained that waste management trucks are still making the rounds, but the number of sanitation workers on Bahrain’s roads have decreased.

“Bahrainis are cleaning the streets and picking up the trash bags from inside neighbourhoods and they should be rewarded for their dedication,” he said.

“Inspectors are taking extra efforts, along with the remaining cleaning staff, to clean up the garbage.

“They need the co-operation of citizens and residents to correctly bag and dispose of their trash in the designated garbage bins and not near their houses.”

In the Capital Governorate civil societies have taken the initiative to clear garbage bags from neighbourhoods and sweep the streets, said Capital Trustees Board chairman Saleh Tarradah.

He said this behaviour was not “strange to Bahrainis who always rise to the occasion to serve their country”.

“I went on a field visit with Capital Trustees Authority director general Shawkiya Humaidan to three areas – Eker, Sitra and Ma’ameer – and we thanked the residents for taking it upon themselves to transfer the garbage bags from near homes into the garbage bins,” he told the GDN.

“The Bahraini community understood the situation and stepped up and this speaks of the high level of awareness among Bahrainis and this doesn’t come as a surprise to us.

“These are extraordinary circumstances and as soon as a hint of a problem arose from a lack of sweeping and transferring the bags to the rubbish bins then the residents took it upon themselves to carry that out.”

His sentiments were shared by Southern Municipal Council member Abdulla Bubshait, who said residents took to the streets when a decline in the number of sanitation workers was witnessed.

“I expected a problem to arise but residents rose to the occasion and have taken their bags to the rubbish bins as the trucks are still making rounds, which is fortunate,” he said.

“Bahrainis have always loved helping and volunteering and I have received many calls from volunteers asking for any opportunity to give back to society and help in any way during these times.

“Bahrainis are known for their solidarity and when the time comes they always rise to the occasion.”

The Muharraq Municipal Council is also encouraging its residents to sweep in front of their own homes and move their garbage bags to the main bins to maintain cleanliness during these unprecedented times.

“We are encouraging people to sweep in front of their own houses in order to make sure we are implementing social distancing and to avoid large gatherings,” said councillor Saleh Buhazza.

More than 30,000 citizens and residents have signed up to volunteer as part of the national awareness campaign to tackle Covid-19.

The National Task Force for Combating the Coronavirus said registrations were received on the e-Volunteer platform that was launched on March 15.

Meanwhile, awareness posters have been created by the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry to educate people on the correct locations to dispose garbage as well as the preferred time.

• The ministry highlighted that garbage bags are to be placed in the designated rubbish bins, while the right time to dispose of household waste is between 9pm and 6am.