NAJRAN — Exposed wells in Najran are making many citizens here upset in the aftermath of the tragic death of Lama Al-Rouqi in Tabuk two weeks ago. Rescue operations entered the 15th day and authorities have yet to retrieve her body. Okaz/Saudi Gazette has found a number of exposed wells, swamps and ditches in a number of villages in the area. The head of Najran's Civil Defense, Brig. Ayedh Al-Ghamdi, said securing exposed wells is not the responsibility of the Civil Defense but that of the Agriculture Department. “The Civil Defense has tracked the wells that pose a danger and notified the Agriculture Department so it can promptly deal with them. There are 1,609 dangerous wells in the area and 889 well owners have been asked to secure their wells, which they have complied with,” he said. In addition, the Civil Defense has bridged 200 abandoned wells. There are still 519 wells that pose a danger. The head of the area's Agriculture Department, Mohammad Al-Duwais, said it was the responsibility of individual well owners to secure them. He added that his department has asked the governorate to set up a committee to monitor exposed wells and the committee has begun its work. Mohammad Saeed, a citizen, complained of an exposed well near his house, which poses a danger to citizens, especially children who play in the area unaware of the danger. Naser Al-Abbas said children are not the only ones at risk of falling into exposed wells but motorists are also caught unawares. Asir Province Civil Defense spokesman, Col. Mohammad Al-Asmi, said many people use fuel pumps to extract water from wells and warned that the fumes from these pumps can cause suffocation. “The Civil Defense is continuously coordinating with various committees in the area and their findings are submitted to higher authorities to direct concerned bodies to deal with the problems. The Civil Defense also monitors swimming pools in hotels, sports clubs or public areas to ensure that the necessary safety measures are in place,” he said.
