Northern Municipal Council moves to scrap rubbish bag penalties over elderly access concerns

TDT | Manama

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Fines for leaving bin bags outside homes were challenged at the Northern Municipal Council yesterday, as members backed a move to scrap the rule over concerns for elderly residents struggling to cope with the walk to municipal containers.

The regulation, which imposes penalties of up to BD300 on those who fail to place rubbish in designated bins during fixed hours, came under scrutiny from several councillors who questioned both its fairness and practicality.

Abdulla Ashour, councillor for the Sixth Constituency, said the rule was unworkable for many families, particularly in homes where older people or women were expected to carry waste as far as 150 metres.

Arrangements

He called instead for more workable arrangements.

One idea was to allow households to purchase their own bins or barrels and place them outside their homes for collection.

Ashour urged the cleaning company to cooperate, especially in areas where such containers had already been set out.

He pointed out that residents already pay monthly municipal fees, which range from BD2 to BD11 depending on the size of the property, and ought to receive basic services in return.

In some buildings, he added, dozens of families share a single bin. In others, there are none.

Contract Ashour also called for the company’s contract to be reviewed, saying it had fallen short in a number of areas.

At the same time, he welcomed the attitude of on-site staff, who, he said, had shown a willingness to deal with complaints and remain open to suggestions.

Zainab Al Durazi, who represents the Twelfth Constituency, said the matter had been poorly managed.

Penalties

She criticised the firm for handing out leaflets warning of penalties in areas where bins had yet to be provided.

“You cannot punish people for something they can’t fix,” she said.

In the Ninth Constituency, Abdulla Al Qubaisi said that Block 1207 had only four bins for around 300 homes.

He called for more containers in that block and throughout the rest of the area.

Alongside the waste debate, councillors approved several other proposals, including a plan to build a rubber-surfaced walking path with fitness equipment in Hamad Town.

The project is expected to be added to the 2027 to 2028 spending plan.

Safe space

Abdulla Al Thawadi, who submitted the proposal, said the path would offer residents a safe space for walking and light exercise.

He said the idea was in line with the Northern Governorate’s wider aim to create parks and public spaces along local roads.

Rubber flooring, he added, was safer than sand, especially for children, and would give people in the area somewhere to stretch their legs or get a bit of fresh air.

Another motion, brought forward by Mohammed Al Doseri of the Third Constituency, called for a portion of the pavement to be annexed to the Imam Amara Mosque in Budaiya, and the council agreed.

Al Doseri said the mosque had become overcrowded, particularly at peak prayer times.

Prayer area

The added space would allow more people to attend and include a dedicated prayer area for women.

The change, he said, would help the mosque better serve its local community.

In a separate decision, councillors agreed to reduce the submission window for maintenance tenders under the Cities and Village Development scheme from two weeks to one.

The aim is to speed up delivery of basic services.