Construction of an artificial pond in East Azarbaijan Province, illegally using the water share of the troubled Urmia Lake, was immediately put to a stop on the order of the Department of Environment in a written letter to the General Governorate.
After the news went viral on social media, environmentalists at Urmia Lake Restoration Project investigated the case and discovered the injudicious construction of a dam on Ajicay River that is supposed to feed the desiccating Urmia Lake, IRNA reported.
Farhad Sarkhosh, the head of ULRP, blamed the illegal work on Tabriz Municipality that took advantage of the environmental bodies' unawareness, trying to hold back the river to build an artificial pond in its proximity.
"While sustained effort is being invested into reviving Urmia Lake, such unlawful encroachment on the Lake's water right is utterly unjust," he lamented.
The dam can store over 500 million cubic meters of water, which means a lot to the dying lake, Sarkhosh added.
Stressing that any use of the lake's water share is strictly illegal, the official called for all the provincial officials to unanimously contribute to the revival of the lake, for its destruction will have irreparable consequences for all the residents.
Utterly Unjustifiable
Given the growing scarcity of freshwater inside the country, "construction of artificial ponds can by no means be justified," the official emphasized.
Sarkhosh added that if the project is not immediately terminated, the case will be referred to judicial authorities.
It is lamentable that supervision over the area is so hopeless that such a gross offensive action should come to light by means of social networks.
The latest figures suggest that due to the high evaporation rate, by August 13 the water level in the lake had fallen by one centimeter compared to the same date last year, standing at 1,270.46 m.
"Although still not satisfying, the current situation of the lake is way more promising compared to the time before the launch of ULRP in 2013," Sarkhosh said.
Located between the provinces of East and West Azarbaijan, Urmia Lake has been facing serious drought for years.
Between 2009 and 2013, the lake's level declined by 130 cm while average precipitation in Urmia's catchment area stood at 330 mm, representing a disaster even in the eyes of laymen.
ULRP was set up with a mission to stabilize the lake's water level (Phase 1) and restore its water level to what it was more than a decade ago (Phase 2). The first phase was completed in September 2016, and the second phase started shortly after, with the initial goal of increasing the water level by 40 centimeters per year.
The target is to restore the ecological level (1,274 meters above sea level) by 2023.
