News

The Saida City Council held an emergency meeting chaired by Engineer Mustafa Hijazi, which continued until late tonight, following the municipality being informed of the decision to shut down the Solid Waste Treatment Plant (IBC). The municipal council wants to clarify to the Saida public, in particular, that the closure decision came as a result of a financial dispute between the company operating the plant (IBC) and the Lebanese Ministry of Finance regarding accumulated financial dues owed to the company by the state, which led the company to take this decision. The municipal council emphasizes the following points: 1. Reviewing the contract signed between the municipality and the plant and immediately starting to pursue the available legal solutions according to the signed contract terms, to determine responsibilities and ensure the continuity of the public facility, especially since the delay by the Ministry of Finance in paying dues is related to considerations concerning the plant's performance. 2. Communicating with the concerned parties and official authorities to explore ways to prevent an environmental disaster in the city, and demanding the provision of a landfill for the city's and union's waste. 3. Due to the seriousness of the situation, especially in light of the displacement crisis which has raised the number of displaced persons in the city to over 35,000 across centers and homes, and the pressure this causes.Huge addition to infrastructure and waste, the council discussed securing temporary alternatives and exploring other options for temporarily transporting and disposing of waste to prevent it from piling up on the streets and around centers, and keeping municipal teams and partner associations on high alert to deal with any field consequences Engineer Hijazi confirmed, 'Closing the plant at this critical time puts Sidon in front of a serious challenge that cannot be postponed, and we will not allow our streets to turn into garbage dumps, especially since we are hosting thousands of displaced people. We are following up on the matter legally and administratively with the Prime Minister's Office and the relevant ministries, and at the same time, we are preparing alternative plans to ensure the environmental stability of the city, no matter the difficulties.'

The municipal council concluded by appealing to all local Sidon organizations and official bodies to stand by the municipality during this crisis, emphasizing that the council will remain in an open session to keep up with developments and make the appropriate decisions..