All agencies ready to serve Hajis

The pilgrims, coming from all corners of the globe, will begin their trek to the tent city of Mina on Thursday on the first leg of the five-day pilgrimage. The Haj will climax on Friday, Oct. 3, when nearly 3 million pilgrims will stand on the plains of Arafat, ARAB NEWS reports. "We are fully geared up to offer every service needed by the guests of Allah so that they may perform their Haj rites in complete ease and safety," he said. This will be Prince Mishaal's first Haj supervision as governor. He said the awareness campaign for the current year - "The Right Way ... Haj With Permit" - sought to check the unacceptable and illegal practices some people used in the past to perform the pilgrimage without obtaining the permit. The Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques has recruited 15,000 workers, including women, to regulate and assist in the smooth movement of pilgrims in the Grand Mosque before, during and after Haj. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, the head of the presidency, said the new facilities, built as part of Custodian of the Two Mosques Expansion Project, would be fully utilized during the current season. Eight imams have been appointed for the mosques at the holy sites, including Masjid Al-Khaif and Masjid Al-Hujjaj Al-Barr in Mina, Masjid Al-Namira in Arafat and Masjid Al-Muzdalifah. Eight new muezzins have also been appointed. Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Bar said the municipality also has completed all its preparations. He said more than 23,000 workers have been recruited to ensure excellent and speedy service to pilgrims. They include 14,000 cleaners to maintain all streets and neighborhoods to the highest standards of hygiene. While 7,500 workers will clean the streets of Makkah, 6,500 workers will ensure the cleanliness of the holy sites. The municipality has also taken steps to ensure that sacrificial animals are fully healthy and will be checked by veterinarians. Municipal officials will also check the slaughterhouses for satisfactory hygienic standards. The Health Ministry is offering services focusing on treatment and prevention of diseases while special teams are monitoring pilgrims who might carry contagious diseases. More than 100 preventive teams, including 38 stationary and 68 mobile units, are in place to handle infectious diseases.