Iraqi Media Network News Center (IMN), Baghdad

A ministerial crisis cell occupied with the issue of pollution in the Marshes of Southern Iraq announced that it would conduct an official visit to the Marshes in Dhi Qar province next week to see the extent of the damage caused to the region due to the low levels of the Euphrates River.
Qutaiba Al-Jubouri, the head of the Committee and the Minister of Environment told [IMN] that “the Commission, which includes the membership of the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Water Resources will conduct a field visit next week to the Marshes of Dhi Qar province to assess the extent of damage caused to the region due to the low levels of the Euphrates River and the high contaminants and salts rates, with the aim of developing immediate solutions”.
Al-Jubouri added: “the Committee ordered urgent measures from the Ministry of Water Resources in order to guarantee additional quantities of stored water to raise the levels of the Euphrates River”, noting that “a number of reasons are behind the low levels of the Euphrates, notably the control of Turkey with regards to release of water, and the control by Daesh of the Syrian Tabaqa dam”.
The Environment Directorate in Dhi Qar province warned about the high fish mortality rate in the eastern Marshes, and attributed the fish mortality to high salt and sulfur rates. The directorate called for the concerned authorities in the province to reduce the use of toxic substances when poaching of fish.