Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 18
By Temkin Jafarov - Trend:
Over 4,000 people die each year in Tehran from diseases caused by air pollution, member of the Iranian parliament's Committee on Environment, Mehrdad Lahuti, said, the ISNA reported on Nov. 18.
Lahuti noted that the violation of permissible levels of air pollution in Tehran is a big problem for its residents and leads to an increase in the mortality rate among the population.
According to him, vehicles are the main reason for the increase in air pollution in the capital. "Currently, 40 per cent of the population use public transport, and 60 per cent use their own cars," Lahuti said.
According to international media outlets, Tehran is one of the most polluted cities in the world. Holidays were declared for Tehran's government agencies, organizations and schools due to air pollution. According to official statistics, currently 12-13 million people reside in Tehran.