Residents seek Ministry’s help to escape a crumbling home

A bedridden Bahraini man who lives in a ramshackle house in Karzakkan village is pleading with authorities to provide him a housing unit in the same area or help him renovate the house. Hassan Habib, 65, is a retiree who lives in a dilapidated house with his wife, son and daughter. He says his repeated pleas to authorities have fallen on deaf ears.

“It’s dangerous to stay in this house. It’s a risk to our lives. We want to move out, but there’s nothing I could do. I spend my pension on my treatment and the other expenses necessary for us to survive,” says Habib.

Habib and his family were offered space at Dar Al Karama Centre for Social Care (shelter) but he rejected the offer as the shelter had entry and exit times and he thought that would adversely affect his family members’ freedom of movement.

Habib also missed the opportunity to apply for the Ramshackle Houses Renovation Programme offered by the government to assist citizens suffering from similar situations. The programme no longer exists.

Tribune spoke to area’s representative to Parliament Dr Jameela Al Sammak, who confirmed that she had taken up the matter with the highest authorities, demanding immediate interference to offer respite to Habib and his family.

“The condition of the house is terrible. The walls are cracked and unstable. The walls of the house could collapse Family seeks helping hand Bedridden Bahraini man seeks authorities help to provide a new housing unit on the family members at any moment.

“We must remember that a patient suffering from a special medical condition is living there. The family must move out of the house at the earliest,” Dr Al Sammak said. The MP said she urgently referred the matter to the Northern Area Municipal Council’s Presidency, which informed that providing the man with a housing unit or renovating the house doesn’t come within its jurisdictions.