SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Sirwan River near Garmian administration is running dry due to “irresponsible authority” in the administration, said a group on Tuesday.
The Sirwan Revival Campaign Group said in a statement that a drop in the water level of the river had killed a large number of fish in the river.
“The Sirwan River and its nature are now being destroyed due to the irresponsible authority of Garmian administration, and the result of this destruction will lead to the shortage of drinking water in the next years,” the group said.
“We have held a campaign to serve and revive the river for over two years,” the group further said, calling for the removal of factories operating on the river.
The group added that there were nearly 45 factories producing sands and gravels on the Sirwan River in the Garmian administration.
The river has largely dried up due to low rainfalls this winter and Iranian dam construction upstream. Authorities have warned that the Kurdistan Region is facing drought and shortages of water due to low rainfalls this year.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is planning to build nine dams across the Region as part of measures to reduce impacts of drought, according to the ministry of agriculture and water resources.
The directorate of water in Sulaimani said in April that the level of water had decreased in both Dukan and Darbandikhan dams because of inadequate rainfalls and changes in water streams flowing into the dams.
