Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug.25/ Trend F.Karimov/
Iran may stop building dams around lake Urmia in a bid to restore its water reserves, ISNA quoted Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian as saying.
We should revise plans for establishing hydroelectric power plants in the region, he added. We should also modify method of cultivation and irrigation to help save the lake, the minister said.
Some 80 dams have been built or are being built around the lake.
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has established a working group to tackle the issue of saving the Urmia lake, the official website of Iranian president reported on August 19.
According to the report, after the cabinet meeting, Rouhani spoke to journalists, where he made the remarks regarding the lake Urmia issue.
"As I've promised people before, I established an Urmia lake-saving work group, which will be headed by country's energy minister, Hamid Chitchian," Rouhani said.
Other members of the group include the agriculture Jihad minister, the interior minister, and the head of the Environment Protection Organization and a representative of the deputy president for planning and strategic supervision.
The work group was commissioned to use the background of the already conducted studies and technical research works in the field and to present their proposals for saving the Urmia Lake to the government within a two-month period.
Back in July, Rouhani said that he will put restoring Lake Urmia on agenda on the first day if he is elected as the next president.
"I promise you if I am elected as the head of the executive branch, I will start working to save Lake Urmia on the first day," Rohani said at the time.
Lake Urmia in northwest Iran, is experiencing its worst drought condition for many years, where over 70 percent of its water has dried up. The level has been declining since 1995.
Officials have said if the current restoration efforts are not effective, the lake will be turned into a swamp within four years. Previous reports said Lake Urmia needs 3.1 billion cubic meters of water per year to survive.
Lake Urmia is the third largest salt water lake on earth with a surface area of approximately 5200 square kilometres.