The head of the Department of Environment's office in Isfahan has complained that his office lacks the authority to enforce environmental laws and has called for bolstering the jurisdiction of provincial administrations. Speaking to ISNA, Mohammad Koushafar also proposed that since the DOE chief doubles as vice president, provincial directors should also double as deputies to governor generals so as to have more leverage to implement environmental solutions. "The uncontrolled and imbalanced development of different sectors has overtaken DOE policies and this means it has not been powerful enough to confront complexities," he said. Isfahan is facing a host of environmental challenges, the biggest of which is water shortage, particularly affecting Zayanderoud. Outdated farming practices and water-intensive industries such as Mobarakeh Steel Company have put undue pressure on the province's dwindling water resources. Located in an arid region of Iran with minimal annual precipitation, Isfahan Province has been struggling with drought for the past nine years.
