HIBAPRESS – Rabat
The Moroccan Association for the Defense of Consumer Rights has sounded the alarm regarding the widespread clogging of drains and sanitary sewers, especially during the winter, and the absence of covers for some of them on a number of roads and neighborhoods. This leads to the accumulation of large pools of water, posing a real danger to the safety of pedestrians and drivers and increasing the likelihood of accidents and health hazards.
Ali Shtour, President of the Moroccan Association for the Defense of Consumer Rights, explained in a statement to the "HIBAPRESS" newspaper that this situation is incompatible with the provisions of Consumer Protection Law No. 31.08, which guarantees the right to health and safety and not exposing the consumer to any risks, stressing that what is being observed in the field threatens the physical security of citizens. Shtour pointed out that the aggravation of this situation is due to the lack of follow-up, periodic maintenance, and continuous cleaning of drains and sanitary sewers, in addition to irresponsible behaviors on the part of some citizens, where garbage, and even stones, are thrown inside these facilities, which leads to their blockage and the accumulation of water in the streets and residential neighborhoods. The speaker noted that illegal and haphazard construction is among the serious reasons that exacerbate this problem, especially the construction of houses inside streams and ravines and the non-respect of the laws in force in the field of construction, which doubles the risks of floods and poses a direct threat to the safety and lives of citizens. The President of the Moroccan Association for the Defense of Consumer Rights called on the responsible authorities to activate and strictly apply the laws, with intensified monitoring and periodic maintenance of drains and sanitary sewers, and to put a final end to all forms of illegal and haphazard construction. Shtour also appealed to citizens to be responsible and refrain from throwing garbage in inappropriate places, to protect their safety and the safety of others, stressing that consumer protection is a collective responsibility that can only be achieved by combining the efforts of the authorities, civil society, and citizens, to ensure the right to a healthy and safe environment.
