Criticism Over Caspian Sea Water Transfer to Semnan; Opponents Say Salinity of Caspian Waters Will Increase
Following the Environmental Organization’s approval of water transfer from the Caspian Sea to Semnan and mounting criticism from experts, this time a dismissed deputy of the Environmental Organization warned that transferring Caspian Sea water to Semnan will increase the salinity level of this body of water.
Parvin Farshchi said on Sunday, October 28, in a television program that with the implementation of Caspian Sea water transfer, approximately 6 million tons of salt will annually enter the lake. Given the volume of Caspian Sea water at 78,200 cubic kilometers, a decrease in the Caspian Sea water level of 15 centimeters over 15 years will occur.
She, who was dismissed from the deputy position of the Environmental Organization in March 2019 due to her opposition to the Caspian Sea water transfer plan by Issa Kalantari, head of the Environmental Organization, stressed that implementing the water transfer from the Caspian Sea to Iran’s central plateau will disrupt the life cycle of animal species and the water level of the Caspian Sea.
However, the Caspian Sea water transfer plan was studied by the Khatam al-Anbia headquarters affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard Corps between 2009 and 2011 and was suspended in 2013.
The plan was raised again during the twelfth government, and Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, announced that “the government is fully prepared for the Caspian Sea water transfer.” Additionally, the Environmental Organization also announced on October 18 of this year through Issa Kalantari’s letter to the Ministry of Energy that the Caspian Sea water transfer to Semnan would be “without objection” on the condition of observing environmental standards.
Previously, the Environmental Organization had announced that water transfer would be carried out through an oil pipeline along the Rey-Neka route. Nevertheless, the Caspian Sea water transfer to Semnan has faced considerable opposition.
The Natural Resources Organization is one of the opponents, announcing that over 11 kilometers of the proposed water pipeline route passes through “Hyrcanian” forests, and if the project is implemented, it will cause extensive damage to the forest.
Some parliamentary representatives have also criticized the Caspian Sea water transfer to Semnan, and around 40 representatives said in a letter to Iran’s president on October 22 of this year that despite the opposition, why the “government” continues to “insist on implementing this plan.”
Also, some experts have said that implementing such a project should be done while considering “all environmental, social, and economic dimensions, and conducting such studies would require at least six years.”
U.S. officials have repeatedly warned about the mismanagement of natural resources, deforestation, and unnecessary, uncontrolled dam construction without any scientific justification in Iran, which is carried out for the purpose of filling the pockets of corrupt officials of the Islamic Republic regime, and have listed these actions as major factors in the emergence of various environmental crises, including devastating floods and unprecedented droughts.
Source: Voice of America
