Doha: The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), represented by the General Cleanliness Department, has intensified efforts to maintain cleanliness across the country during the forthcoming holy of the month of Ramadan.

“The department has prepared a complete action plan, under which a large number of garbage bins will be provided and cleaning operations will be extended round-the-clock to ensure hygiene during the spiritual month,” said Safar Mubarak Al Shafi, Director of General Cleanliness Department.

“Under the special action plan, the department will increase the frequency of the trips of dumping trucks to carry solid wastes, which are formed due to the maintenance works at homes and changing of furniture, carpets, etc,” Al Shafi told The Peninsula.

He said that usually residents and citizens renovate their houses and change furniture during the holy month of Ramadan ahead of Eid Al Fitr.

“Monitoring teams will be dispatched at the residential areas to clear solid wastes. Upon the tip of the teams, trucks with cleaners will reach the sites to remove waste as soon as possible to keep the beauty of the areas,” said Al Shafi. 

He said that the cleanliness operation will focus on Iftar tents and other venues of holy Ramadan programmes including religious, social and sports activities.

Speaking about the Iftar tents run by charity organizations and individuals, Al Shafi said,  “The department coordinated with organizers to provide garbage bins at Iftar venues across the country and clear wastes on a daily basis, free-of-cost, with the support of the Ministry.”

He also said that the tent operators were asked to provide garbage bags and ensure keeping wastes in garbage bins.  “Commercial streets, picnic places, Corniche, and the central market will come under special operation as these places get large quantity of wastes due to more visitors,” said Al Shafi adding that additional garbage bins will be provided to such places.

He pointed out that the daily programmes of cleaning services are not affected by the special programmes of Ramadan but are in accordance with the plans set for these services, which run regularly and round-the-clock, taking into account the religious aspects and worship rights of workers and Muslim drivers, as work stops during the period of Iftar until the completion of Tarawih prayers, and the Ministry is working hard to allocate working hours for Muslim workers in the evening to avoid fieldwork during the day.