Fresh foodstuff wastage draws more criticisms

Manama : The video showing disposal of fresh fruits and vegetables by cleaning personnel of the Capital Municipality has drawn more public outrage in the past few days.

DT News reported on Saturday that video footage showing the workers throwing fresh vegetables and fruits into a waste truck in the capital went viral on local social networks recently. The goods were apparently confiscated from illegal street vendors in the capital.

The act was highly condemned by Bahrainis on social networks, as they criticised how the fruits and vegetables were thrown in waste bins, instead of being redistributed among charity organisations and the needy.

Parliament’s Services’ Committee Deputy Chairman Mohammed Al Maarifi stated, “We reject the street vendors’ phenomenon that is increasing in our society. At the same time, we are against disposal of fresh foodstuff this way.”

Al Maarifi blamed Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry for “allowing this phenomenon to inflate and called for more efforts to eliminate it”.

He added, “The Ministry should’ve taken a step in this regard earlier instead of following such primitive methods to combat this issue.”

Another MP, Khalifa Al Ghanim also commented, “Instead of throwing away these goods, why wouldn’t the authorities distribute it among the needy through charity societies? I hope this matter would be immediately looked into by the Ministry.”

In another development, sources confirmed to DT News that a group of attorneys are following up the matter with the local courts to complain against the Ministry.