Tehran, Iran, June 16
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
Iran has allocated 4.6 trillion rials (about $158 million) h to fighting desertification and dust storms, Head of Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Organization Khodakaram Jalali said.
The official was speaking on the occasion of World Day to Combat Desertification with the FAO representative in Iran.
Jalali said the current Iranian fiscal year (which started March 21), the funds given to the fight against desertification rose 10 times, IRIB news agency reported June 16.
He said one trillion rials (about $34 million) are also given to controlling the localities where dust rises to the air.
He also said trees and other kinds of vegetation are being planted around Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran in order to prevent the lake's salt from moving or rising into the air.
Dust storms have increased in frequency in Iran in recent years.
A general drought, which has affected the country as well as Iraq and Saudi Arabia, is mentioned as the main cause.
The dust has caused many health problems across the country, sometimes sending hundreds to the hospital.
Head of the Iranian Environment Protection Organization Masoumeh Ebtekar said May 5 that Iranian people should learn to tolerate the dust storms, as no official can promise to remove the problem.
Edited by CN