Warning Over Minab Water Scarcity, Mismanagement

The precarious environmental situation in Minab and Roudan counties in the southern province of Hormozgan has compelled senior officials to urge the government to take action.

Minab in the eastern part of the province had always been an agricultural hub, thanks to its past mild climate.

However, the rise in temperature and protracted drought have caused the drying up of surface and ground water resources, complicating the livelihood of the region's residents, ISNA reported. Seyyed Mostafa Zolqadr, the representative of Jask, Sirik, Bashagard, Minab and Roudan counties in the parliament, warned executive bodies about the increasing risks of water scarcity and soil degradation.

"Emerging pit craters are the most recent problem sighted in the area, which put extra stress on the already arid region," he said. The lawmaker added that water problems have been growing since transfer projects were launched to fulfill the needs of the neighboring city, Bandar Abbas.  Injudicious water usage, decrease in precipitation, inefficient water management, traditional agricultural methods and failure to establish water desalination plants have exacerbated the county's condition.

Zolqadr urged the ministries of energy, interior and agriculture, as well as the Department of Environment, to scrutinize the ecological status of the region, especially in Minab, and think of a practical solution for the already crisis-stricken village.