Saudi streets adorned with poisonous plants causing death

Jeddah :Qassim residents are on alert after the municipality decorated the streets and the squares in the region with poisonous plants which the municipality had previously banned.

Residents were surprised to find the poisonous plants all over their streets and public parks.

The gravity and risks involved are enormous in planting such poisonous plants that cause diarrhea and nausea, and infections of the eyes. 
The general department for agricultural affairs demanded the municipality stop planting these poisonous plants in public parks in an urgent letter addressed to Mayor of Qassim Saleh Al-Ahmad, a local publication reported.

The letter said: “The department noticed the spread of vegetation such as the highly toxic oleander plant which contains the very toxic materials oleandrin and oleandrigenin, that affects the heart, and causes diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, cardiovascular disorder and inflammation of the eyes by direct exposure to the plant.”

The letter stressed on the need to ban the planting of oleanders in public places and parks, and locations in the reach of children.
Qassim Municipality did not deny that some plants and flowers, which the Ministry of Agriculture warned against planting, were planted in some restricted places not allocated for picnicking. 

The municipality said work is going on to replace them as a precautionary measure.