Tehran Public Closure: Air Pollution or Bus Drivers’ Strike?
The Tehran Province Governorate announced the closure of all government offices, universities, and schools in Tehran Province on Tuesday, Ordibehesht 27. Air pollution was cited as the reason. However, a political activist claims this closure is related to the strike by drivers of Tehran’s Shahr Hamel (Unified) Bus Company.
The Deputy Coordinator of Civil Affairs at the Tehran Province Governorate announced that today, Tuesday (Ordibehesht 27), all government offices, universities, and schools in Tehran Province at all educational levels will be closed due to air pollution.
Abed Maleki told ISNA: “The Tehran Air Pollution Emergency Committee held a meeting moments ago, and considering that the air quality index shows 263 and the conditions are very unhealthy, accordingly, all government offices, universities, and schools in Tehran Province at all educational levels will be closed today, Tuesday, Ordibehesht 27.”
It was also announced that the Tehran International Book Fair will also be closed on Tuesday due to air pollution.
However, Hussein Razaq, a political activist, believes that the closure of Tehran’s offices, schools, and universities is not due to air pollution.
He wrote on Twitter: “In year 84 (2005) when the Unified Company drivers went on strike, military forces replaced them within a few hours. But this time, so many forces have been sent to other cities that everything has fallen apart. Now they’ve closed Tehran, which didn’t close with an index of 498, at an index of 139! The air is poor, very poor!”
Drivers of the Unified Bus Company of Tehran and surrounding areas began a strike from Monday, Ordibehesht 26 (May 16), protesting the authorities’ broken promises and neglect of this profession’s livelihood issues. They have stopped service on Khavaran, Elm va Sanaat, Beheshti (Argentine Square), and Azadi Terminal lines.
These drivers are protesting the non-payment of four percent disability insurance for hazardous and harmful occupations, as well as the non-implementation of the Supreme Labor Council’s wage resolution and the failure to implement a ten percent salary increase for Unified Company workers.
Alireza Zakani, Tehran’s Mayor, attended a meeting with the Unified Bus Company drivers following the start of their strike.
According to Mehr News Agency, Zakani, who was supposed to attend a meeting with the elite of Tehran’s District One, went to meet with the bus drivers after their strike and spoke with their representative.
