MAKKAH, December 27, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - The Makkah municipality has employed 23,100 workers for the service of more than two million Muslims all over the world coming for the pilgrimage in less than two weeks' time.

Mayor of the Makkah Municipal Corporation Khalid Hamza Nahas said that the labor force of 7,200 -- including supervisors, foremen, drivers and sweepers, had been working round the clock since last December 13, reported the English-language Saudi Gazette newspaper Tuesday, December 27.

A fleet of 654 garbage trucks along with auto vacuum and broom cleaners had been sprung into service with over 200 electronically operated compressor garbage storage tanks placed in the holy city.

Mina has 131 ground garbage storage tanks and 900 electronically operated portable garbage storage tanks. All these tanks have a total capacity of storing 13,950 tonnes of garbage.

Khalid said in the Jamrat area, a place of heavy congestion where pilgrims will perform the stoning rituals, symbolizing the stoning of satin, will be kept clean by auto vacuum sweepers with garbage to be lifted round the clock by small tractors and filled-in small trucks.

The municipality has further allowed 1,200 chairs for barbers close to Jamrat for pilgrims wishing to cut or shave their hair after completing the stoning rituals.

Hajj consists of several ceremonies, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj once in their lifetime.

Despite the convergence of the large number of pilgrims, the Makkah officials are determined to keep the holy city from being infected by insect-borne diseases, the paper said.

Khalid said a total of 26 mobile teams provided with insecticides also moved round the clock for the purpose.

He said that special care was also being taken for the cleanliness of the holy sites in Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, where all the pilgrims would spend five days and nights starting 9 Zulhijah (Jan 9 or Jan 10 depending on the sighting of the moon) to perform the various rites.

The Saudi cabinet convened Monday, December 26, under King Abdullah Bin Abdelaziz to discuss the latest measures taken to help provide easy hajj for the faithful.

Saudi authorities are tightening health checks ahead of hajj amid fears about the global spread of bird flu.

Health Minister Hamed Al-Manae confirmed Sunday, December 26, that the 622,000 pilgrims who had arrived so far were "clear of any virus or illness."