The Muscat Manucipal Council reviews plans of Bee`ah Company and discusses the territory of Indian Schools
• Studyig allocation of beach seatings for the elderly
• The start-off of the Muscat Festival on 23 January
• The concerned authorities do not approve of the execlusion of sewage septic tanks during rush hours
BY Ibrahim Al-Hassani
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Solomon Al-Khasibi
HE Eng. Mohsen bin Mohammed Al-Sheikh, Chairman of Muscat Municipality and Chairman of the Municipal Council, during the Council meeting chaired by HE on Monday morning, affirmed to exert more efforts in dealing with observations and issues received by the Municipality and the Communications Center of Muscat, as well as others monitored by various media outlets, drawing attention to the need to intensify efforts and immediate and diligent response to deliver services to different social classes and age groups in this populated city. This took place during the first Municipal Council Meeting for the second year, chaired by HE, in the Council Hall yesterday morning at Muscat Municipality.
Moreover, HE the Chairman explained that the Municipality is operating according to a system of deliberate plans for the implementation of strategic and developing projects and catering for the development of public facilities and services in order to cover all parts of the city in parallel with the urban growth and the activity of the trade and tourism. A number of issues and topics, seeking to provide a decent life for citizens and residents and opening the door for opinions and recommendations to the public regarding the development of the municipal services in the Governorate through modern available means and systems were tackled in the Manucipal Council, as well.
The meeting minutes stated off with ratification of the minutes of the Council`s previous meeting and review of the actions taken for putting it into operation.
The meeting discussed a proposal for allocation of beach seatings for the elderly in certain attractions and parks with organizing events for the young, through which experiences and successful stories of older people are presented for new generations and young people for achieving advantage in various aspects of life. The proposal has been referred to the Committee of Health, Social and Environmental Affairs for further study and development of visions about it.
The Council reviewed the response received from the concerned authorities about its disapproval the exclusion of sewage septic tanks to prevent traffic of trucks during rush hours due to traffic congestion and bottlenecks at peak times in Muscat. The sewage septic tanks can accordingly work after rush hours.
The Council approved the recommendation made by the panel established to study the proposal for the establishment of the Child Municipal Council in Muscat, through the election of Labibah Bint Mohammed Al-Mo`walia as a Head of the panel and Anisa Bint Saleh Al-Raesia as a deputy head of the team. The Council approved of the Panel`s recommendation to form a smaller sub-panel, involving the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Social Development. The task of this panel is to study the proposed scenario for the establishment of a Child Municipal Council and setting the visions.
The Council discussed the construction of a Wastewater Treatment Plant Project at Misfat area in Baucher along with the background of this topic. Members of the Committee of Municipal Affairs have considered the proposed location inappropriate for the establishment of the plant. The meeting then agreed to refer the issue to the Committee of Public Affairs for further study.
The Council reviewed the letter received from Eng. Director General of Planning and Survey Department, Council member and representative of the Ministry of Housing in terms of the schemed enclaves at Sifah area in Muscat. The Council subsequently referred the issue to the General Directorate for Technical Affairs in Muscat Municipality for feedback on these two enclaves. The engineers of the Directorate, in turn, studied the site and drew the most significant and considerable observations. The Council referred the issue to the Committee of Public Affairs.
Furthermore, the Council reviewed the plots of land allocated to the Indian schools in Mutroh State, Awabi area in Baucher, Al-Mabaliah Al-Janubia in Al-Seeb and Al-Hashia area in Al-Amerat. This aims to relieve the pressure laid on Mutroh State and distribute the locations of these schools to different sites in Muscat. The issue was referred to the panel constituted to work out a solution for the traffic congestions at Darsit area in Mutroh State.
Muscat Festival 2014
Launched on January 23rd to 22 February, the Management of Muscat Festival in Muscat Municipality presented the agenda of the Festival. The Municipality confirmed its preparations to host this annual event in brand new form and purposive contents at a number of main sites, most notably, Al-Amrat Public Garden, Al-Naseem Park, the City Theatre as well as the beach events in Al-Seeb, racing events in Oman Cars Club and the Tour tracks in various States.
Al-Seeb beach will host a number of diverse sporting and recreational public events, as there will be 20 - 30 sporting events included in the Festival, with nearly 16 of them performed along the beach of Al-Seeb.
Holding a variety of contents, activities and events, including recreational, scientific, social events, in addition to Concerts, Consumer Exhibition, Amusement Arts Park, Family Village, Heritage Village, Laser and Dazzling Shows, the cultural events, Folklore and Traditional Arts Bands, World Folklore, and International Exhibition of Crafts and Arts, Pyrotechnics, pavilions for the Governmental Contributions and other various programs.
Sporting events were also discussed, most notably, the Tour of Oman, which will be held on next February 18th - 23rd. Involving six new stages, the Tour goes across varying landscape and topography of spacious plains, mountain ranges, sand and rural environments. This comes along with the Marathon, Gulf-Championship Trio Competition of Basketball, Rowing Boats Races, Traditional Sports, Traditional Boat Races, Equestrian events, Bike Racing Rally, Racing Cars, Beach Soccer, Classic Car Shows, Performance Shows, Shows and contests for Driving Skills by Worldwide Top Drivers, and other events and surprises.
Bee`ah Company Shows "
Oman Environmental Services Holding Company deivered a visual presentation of its efforts and future plans to members of the Council. The presentation addressed several topics, including philosophy and vision of the company, the features of the strategic plan, the commercial framework of the Holding Company, the short-term and long-term operational structure, areas of waste management, non-hazardous waste, the various stages of the initial collection, processing and backfilling, and construction and demolition waste , used tires and green waste. This is coupled with the chronology of the implementation of infrastructure projects, the time plan for the transfer of the Sector, the medical waste , the electronics waste, used batteries, the company`s accomplishments, equipment and mechanisms, and the challenges encountered by the company. This involves that the methods of dealing with waste in the current situation are not compatible with the international practices applicable in the field of waste management of all types along with the lack of a national clear strategy for waste management in the Sultanate, the variation of the government authorities concerned with waste sector despite the existance of Oman Holding Company, the absence of a system of integrated waste management, and the lack of national human resources, representing the required background in the waste management in accordance with the required standards.
Some of the most prominent programs and projects of the company in 2014 include the design, construction and operation of a number of Engineering landfills in Muscat, the rehabilitation of the traditional landfill sites, the design and construction of a hazardous waste treatment facility, the design and construction of temporary storage facilities of hazardous waste, establishment of the medical waste service in all Governorates of the Sultanate, the completion of the necessary procedures for the development of an integrated system for the management of used tires and the development of operational plans for the management of used batteries, consumed vehicles, electronics waste, and construction and demolition waste.
The presentations delivered to the members of the Council were tackled into discussion and interaction, through which ideas and videos, supporting the process of Municipal Work, were proposed.