Shoppers cry foul as sewage swamps Jazan fish market

JEDDAH: Leaking and accumulating sewage water at the central fish market in Jazan has been posing a serious health and environmental threat.
Shoppers quoted by local media have expressed anguish at the situation and called on the authorities concerned to take prompt action.
Ali Ahmed Saeed said that the “the fish market in Jazan has been popular for years. However, demand is declining due to the accumulation of dirty and sewage water.”
He urged the authorities to take action and “save the market”.
Salen Abdo Lotf, a regular customer, also expressed extreme displeasure with the neglect of the municipal authorities to address the problem in Jazan, which serves as both an outlet for fishermen to obtain their income and a favorable place for customers to buy fish.
He said the sewage water throughout the market has pushed many regular customers out of the place due to the foul smell and health concerns.
“We used to love to shop at the popular fish market for the best fresh fish,” said Aref Maaoudah, adding that no attention is being paid to maintain the cleanliness of the market.
Media spokesman of Jazan municipality, Tariq Al-Rifai, said the municipality is following up on the conditions of the various markets to ensure cleanliness, noting that urgent measures would be taken to solve the sewage water problem at the Jazan fish market.