Tehran, Iran, Sept. 28
By Mehdi Sepahvand -- Trend:
Heavy investment is being put into the modernization of irrigation and drainage in 80 to 90 thousand hectares of land in the northwestern provinces of Ardabil, East Azarbaijan, and West Azarbaijan, CEO of Iran Water Resources Management Organization Mohammad Haj-Rasouliha said.
Due to shortage of precipitation and unbridled use of water in the agriculture sector, it is needed to undertake comprehensive programs to optimize water consumption, he told Trend Sept. 28.
He said there are also programs to mend the country's cropping patterns.
Expressing pity that so far there has been no policy to punish the overconsumption of water, Haj-Rasouliha said amendments are needed in water rights.
"There are plans in the country to equip water wells with measurement devices to control the consumption," he said.
"Article 45 of the Law on Fair Distribution of Water allows us to fine people who consume beyond their permitted limit."
He said projects under consideration to curb the water shortage, ranging from importing water from neighbor countries to amending water transfer rights and building mega-scale water-management structures.
However, the official noted, these projects are in the recognition stage and much work is yet needed.
Haj-Rasouliha also pointed out that contracts for importing water from neighboring countries have been signed and their study projects have kicked off.
Earlier the day, Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's Energy Commission Ali Marvi said there are plans to import water either from Tajikistan, the Caspian Sea, or the Gulf of Oman.
The amount of precipitation has decreased on average by 25 percent, compared to previous years, Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian said Sept. 12.
Iran's renewable water resources declined from 130 billion cubic meters to 110 billion cubic meters a year.
Edited by CN