The General Inspection Organization of Iran is expected to submit its final report on the country’s air pollution crisis to the chiefs of the three branches of the government — legislative, executive and judiciary next month.
During the Iranian month of Dey (December 22, 2015 – January 20, 2016), Tehran and several other metropolises experienced 24 consecutive days of thick smog, crippling life in the cities and locking people indoors. As a result, the GIO launched an investigation to determine whether the 11 entities responsible for tackling air pollution had done their duty to the best of their abilities.
“Those found to have failed in their tasks will be held accountable,” Nasser Seraj, director of the GIO, told the Persian daily Hamshahri.
He said his organization has conducted a thorough investigation and “consulted academics and researchers” to ensure the measures taken by the different entities to improve air quality were appropriate.
Among the entities questioned by the GIO are the Department of Environment, ministries of energy, oil, and industries and mines, and municipalities.
According to Massoumeh Ebtekar, Iran’s environment chief, between 30 and 35 million people are directly affected by poor air quality and smog. An estimated 80,000 people die every year in the country due to air pollution.
