Local fuel stations, electrical wirings and public hygiene are hazardous time bombs

HARGEISA – When it comes to part of our social safety security, time bombs are numerous, and in their tickings, are quite high-sounding dangerous clicks. To mention but three, we ought to re-organize ourselves selves seriously such that we may know our cue.

One is our shoddy petrol stations, secondly is our electrical wiring systems and thirdly is the no-sewerages and non-culverts city infrastructure.

It is quite clear and well known that our gas or petrol filling stations do not conform to the accepted safety standards.

The shoddy and hastily made sub-standard imitations of contemporary stations are numerously scattered not only in the city but all over the country at large.

As if what happened in Berbera a couple of years ago was not enough, the disaster that happened last evening in Hargeisa shouldn’t be another warning but a real live reminder of what is in store for us, if not checked.

For instance, things that need no huge amount of funds like simple warning signs at a gas station reminding motorists to switch off their engines, not smoke cigarettes etc are almost totally non-existent.

The KAAH station disaster, whatever its causes, only reminds us of our make-shift operating systems.

For long we have held it in this column that we should walk humbly with times (and in time) but not make failed states our mark of calibration.

When it comes to our electrical wiring systems, we had decried before in this column about having electrical waves and currents which have no (repeat -COMPLETELY NO) quartz lightning arresters along distribution points or the non-existence of third neutral (earth) wires in most buildings and houses occupied! This is in all senses against the basic social safety standard hence a major time bomb ticking.

Despite the fact that the main (phase) wires are now more standardized and better than the hitherto haphazardly criss-crosses along the streets, we still have no transformers and/or distribution stations and/or distribution points with earth/quartz arresters along their ways.

Again, if not checked immediately, blazes may abundantly occur. All these happenings may be imminent around the sad background that our city does not have a modern (or likewise) fire brigade station to counter any eventualities.

Last but not least is the complete lack of sewerage system in the city which poses two major dangers.

One is the health hazards where back-streets and lanes are littered with all sorts of wastes.

The other is the dangers of flash floods causing havoc in the city to both materials and lives.

Although the latter can be termed a long time issue hence highly expensive, the former needs the putting up of a strict public hygiene policy where public toilets and rubbish management are fully addressed.

For instance, lavaratories for public use should be commissioned hence put up at strategic sites leaving no area un-served.

Whatever the case, we need to reorganize ourselves and put several issues right.

– By M A EGGE