Ancient Objects Found in Pipeline Path

A number of archaic structures have been discovered in Kerman Province during preliminary studies for the pipeline project to transfer water from the Persian Gulf to the Central Plateau.  Speaking to Mehr News Agency, Mahboubeh Nasseri Tehrani, the head of the research team, said the structures were found in Sirjan, Rafsanjan and Shahr-e Babak counties.  "The discoveries include an ancient cemetery, a watermill, an old smithy and several other antiquities," she said.  The project of transferring water from the Persian Gulf to the central provinces through a pipeline has been devised to meet the demands of the water-stressed regions.  The water is set to be transferred from Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan Province to Sirjan and Rafsanjan in Kerman Province and Chadormalu in Yazd Province through more than 700 km of pipeline.  To meet the demand of the country's population of around 80 million, Iran is in dire need of 50 bcm of desalinated water. Water experts believe transferring water from the Sea of Oman, the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea through pipelines to dry regions is the most effective strategy for tackling water shortage.