Aleppo – Mohammad Deeb Bazt
The industrial areas within the city of Aleppo are suffering from a range of difficulties that extend from the time of the previous regime, the most notable of which are al-Arqoub and al-Kalasa, which contain hundreds of small and medium workshops and factories.
In the al-Arqoub area, industrialists complain about the weak electrical supply and the accumulation of industrial and household waste for days without removal, which increases the risk of fires, especially in the summer.
The issue of poor security in these areas also stands out, as several industrialists have been repeatedly subjected to thefts, in the absence of regular patrols or effective surveillance cameras.
Some industrialists believe that the deterioration of conditions in these areas is due to their being “out of the map of interest” compared to Sheikh Najjar, which is considered a model area and receives better governmental and service support.
“No industry without electricity”
In an interview with Enab Baladi, the head of the al-Arqoub industrial committee, Taysir Derklet, described the service reality in these areas as “not up to par with their status and needs,” asserting that the deeper problem is electricity, stating, “There is no industry without electricity.”
Derklet mentioned that the electric supply does not exceed 8 hours a day, and although two additional hours have been added recently, it does not cover the bare minimum required to operate some workshops that need 16 hours of work.
He added that “providing electricity for 8 or 10 hours is a real disaster for the industrial areas,” which forces workshop owners to run private generators for at least 4 hours daily, increasing operational costs and threatening production continuity.
He noted that the amount of electricity supplied to the city of Aleppo is insufficient compared to Damascus, which “receives three times what Aleppo gets,” and Hama, which consumes a similar amount despite having fewer facilities.
He considered the inappropriate distribution of electricity to be an old crisis dating back to the previous Syrian regime, during which Aleppo was treated as a secondary economic center, leaving a deep impact on the local industrial structure.
He added that the electricity authority bears part of the responsibility, but it is “not the only party,” explaining that the allocated amount for the city of Aleppo is extremely low, failing to meet the needs of both residents and industrial facilities.
He indicated that the thermal power station is no longer dedicated solely to Aleppo after being connected to the national grid, and therefore the electricity generated there does not automatically ensure an improvement in the city’s supply.
“Unfair laws”
The problems do not stop at electricity alone but extend to weak internet services, poor internal roads, and the accumulation of workshop waste. Derklet described these issues as chronic problems that require a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate industrial areas.
He highlighted the lack of clarity of the laws related to industry following liberation, noting that industrialists still operate under the old laws, which he described as “unfair” to industry and industrialists, calling for their reformation to suit the size of the challenges.
Derklet stated that the number of workers in the al-Arqoub area alone is about 8,000, earning salaries ranging from 150 to 200 US dollars per month.
Although he considers these wages “relatively acceptable,” they remain “100% insufficient” amid inflation and the high cost of living.
He pointed out the issue of public transportation, explaining that “workers are forced to travel individually due to the lack of decent and regular transport,” which puts additional pressure on employers and affects workforce stability.
Regarding the security situation, Derklet explained that industrial areas experienced a security gap after liberation, accompanied by thefts and violations, which forced industrialists to secure private protection through their own funding.
He said that this matter “burdened the industrialists,” as it should be part of the responsibilities of the state or local councils.
Derklet concluded his speech by pointing out that all these issues are documented and submitted to the governmental authorities through official letters. He also considered that dialogue workshops or official meetings are not an end in themselves, stating, “What is needed is for the voices of industrialists to truly be heard, not just to settle for a formal attendance.”
“Unequal competition”
For his part, the head of the al-Kalasa industrial committee, Mohammed Qazmuz, pointed to the electricity issue as the main obstacle facing the industrial sector in the region.
He told Enab Baladi that the electricity supply was previously for nine hours a day, but increased to ten hours after a series of meetings and a discussion with the governor, with promises of an additional two hours in the upcoming week.
Qazmuz confirmed that 12 hours of electrical supply do not meet the needs of industrial facilities, especially in comparison to other industrial areas like al-Lirmon, Sheikh Najjar, and Sheikh Saeed, which receive electricity for 24 hours.
He considered that this disparity has created a form of unequal competition, as production costs in al-Kalasa rise due to partial reliance on electricity and partial dependence on generators, which drives many industrialists to move to areas with permanent electricity supply to reduce fuel costs.
As for the evacuation of debris, Qazmuz indicated that the situation is relatively good, but there is a problem with stone-slicing workshops, where large gardens in the industrial area have turned into dumps for the waste of those workshops, in addition to occupying sidewalks. A letter was sent to the governor’s office concerning these issues, with promises to address them.
Regarding the security situation, he noted that there has been a noticeable improvement, clarifying that a security group has been formed in coordination with the public security agency and the al-Kalasa police department, supported by the security section of the industrial chamber.
This group conducts foot patrols from 7 PM to 7 AM, a practice that has been in place for about three months, leading to a notable difference in security levels.
Nevertheless, Qazmuz emphasized the need for alternative energy sources to light the streets, noting that the area suffers from complete darkness at night, hindering industrialists who work in the evening hours. Each establishment has been directed to install its own lighting to ensure a minimum level of visibility.
Between 2017 and the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the presence of the Fourth Division posed a burden on industrialists, as their checkpoints imposed fees on the movement of goods and prevented the entry of raw materials or the exit of products without payment, leading to the closure of dozens of workshops.
During that period, the demands of workshop owners were not limited to electricity or waste accumulation; rather, they centered around a core demand to “stop the military apparatus’s interference in the industrial sector,” especially by the Fourth Division, which many viewed as an unofficial authority exploiting those who remained in the production cycle.
Industrial areas suffer from poor services in Aleppo Enab Baladi.
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