By Salem Basurra
Mukalla city receives visitors coming from different local destinations to have a wash at the sea during Al-Balda season. Al-Balda season usually begins on 15 July each year in Hadramout, coastal and last 13 days, due to ice melting in the Northern polar of the world according to experts. Though the good opportunity that enhance tourism, there are still many obstacles that face the governorate, especially the coastal area represented in the piles of garbage all around the city of Mukalla.
The governor of Hadramout, Maj. Gen. Faraj Salmeen Al-Bahsani, inaugurated the carnival of Al-Balda season, stressing on the readiness of the local authority to make the atmosphere of this year season very successful , “We wish all visitors very good time,” Al-Bahsani said, “ we will find all facilities, tranquility and comfort to make visitors satisfaction.”
73
However, garbage is thrown randomly everywhere in the city of Mukalla, either on streets or on beaches, in addition to sewage reflecting and portraying a terrible picture of the beautifulness of the city and its gorgeous beaches and views.
Both sides, the authority and the people of Hadramout, have shortages regarding the spreading of unwanted scene of garbage in Mukalla city. The authority has ignored the cleanliness of the beaches and streets for a long time ago, and made great efforts to overcome this problem when it’s very close to meet the season of Al-Balda. Salaries of the employees working in Hygiene are late; dustbins are few in number, alongside many other reasons that can be sufficient to create social unrests. “Look! Beaches are out of dustbins and rubbish boxes, so where can I throw my garbage.” Said Ahmed who is a local resident in Mukalla.
74
Moreover, the location of the garbage boxes is not suitable for many neighborhoods in Mukalla. Many of them are sometimes put very close to parks, Mosques or even residents. “This place is not appropriate for garbage dustbins, because it is totally close to the houses, therefore, they are harmful and may bring health problems,” said Salim, a passerby who lives in Rukib on the suburbs of Mukalla.
75
No doubt, cholera epidemic outbreak has been widely spread in Yemen in which hundreds of thousands of people have been diagnosed with this disease in the last years as a result of sewage and garbage thrown here and there.