The number of garbage bag dispensing machines across Bahrain is set to increase, with a senior municipal official maintaining the service is operating efficiently despite complaints from some councillors calling for a return to traditional handouts at municipal offices.
Northern Municipality director-general Mohammed Al Sehli said demands by members of the Northern Municipal Council to resume manual distribution from municipal offices were ‘simply not logical’, stressing that the hi-tech automated machines have made the free service more accessible than ever before.
“We are reducing reliance on municipal offices and making the service available throughout Bahrain to everyone – regardless of where they live,” said Mr Al Sehli.
He explained that unlike previous arrangements, the machines are no longer tied to specific residential areas, allowing residents to collect bags from any machine across the kingdom.
“If there is a fault, issue or exceptional circumstance, we can always compensate residents with backdated allocations. But otherwise, this is a month-by-month system and it is functioning effectively.”
Mr Al Sehli strongly defended the automated rollout, arguing that citizens should make full use of the convenience now available.
“This is a free service that people should make good use of. Unless there are unprecedented circumstances like those we have seen in recent months, everyone finds it easy to get the bags from the machines,” he said.
In response to complaints that residents were being forced to travel between malls when machines ran out of stock, the official dismissed the concern, saying alternative locations are nearby and easily reachable by car.
“What is the problem with driving from one mall to another if the nearest machine is out of stock? They are all within proximity and easily accessible by car,” Mr Al Sehli added.
According to municipality figures covering January 1 to May 31 this year, demand for rubbish bags remains strong, with thousands of bags dispensed through multiple Northern Governorate locations.
The busiest outlet was Country Mall with 33,406 recorded collections, followed by Reef Mall in Sadad with 26,166, Alsater in Demistan with 25,073, Ramli Mall in A’ali with 23,175 and Atrium in Janabiya with 15,969.
Even the Arab Mall in Diraz registered 2,791 collections in a month.
“We are expanding the service and more machines are on the way and we have placed the order while exploring potential locations across Bahrain,” Mr Al Sehli said.
“Why are we seeking problems rather than solutions? Numbers don’t lie and statistics reveal that thousands of bags were dispensed in five months alone.”
However, some councillors remain unconvinced by the figures.
Councillor Abdulla Shareeda Al Thawadi maintained that residents were frustrated by the hunt for bags. “We need to stop chasing bags. This is a civilised country,” he said.
Meanwhile, councillor Abdulla Ashoor claimed that complaints were continuing from residents. “People are still telling us they cannot access the bags,” he added.
Despite criticism from a few quarters, municipal officials led by Mr Al Sehli insist the free service remains a success story – and is only set to expand further in the future.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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