Tehran, Iran, Nov. 1
By Mehdi Sepahvand – Trend:
Some 7,000 Iranians have requested to be taken to Iraq to sweep streets and paths on the way of pilgrims visiting Karbala and other Shia sanctuaries during the Arbaeen pilgrimage.
The announcement was made by Reza Abdoli, deputy head of Tehran Municipality’s Waste Management Department, Mehr news agency reported November 1.
These days the Tehran Municipality is collecting 8,000 tons of garbage from streets in Karbala, using forces from Karbala Municipality, according to Mojtaba Abdollahi, director of Tehran Municipality’s Staff on Arbaeen.
Twenty million Shias are visiting Karbala this year to pay tribute to their third Imam, Hussain ibn Ali, for whose tomb the city is known.
The Tehran Municipality, however, said it will send only 2,000 of the enrolling people to sweep streets in Karbala.
Elsewhere, Ali Marashi, a Red Crescent official in Tehran, said the organization is going to send 2,000 staff members to Karbala to offer medical help to the pilgrims.
He said the number more than doubled from last year, when the organization sent 900 staff members.
Some 250 types of drugs and 80 types of medical equipment will be sent to Iraq on six trucks these days, he noted, adding 18 Iranian medical teams will offer free services to the pilgrims during the pilgrimage days.