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| Left: Aral sea, Uzbekistan main water source, drained by Stalin to irrigate cotton fields (vice.com). Right: Lake Orumieh, Iran is drying out due to water planning neglect (guardian) |
The Islamic Republic has for years pursued a policy of diverting water from water rich areas to distant cities to make up for water shortage in more arid areas.
The Government is diverting water from "Azande rood and Karoon" in vast and ill conceived grand water projects which impact farmers and local echo systems.
Farmers from the province of Isfahan clashed with police on Wednesday after 40 days of protest over water diversion to Yazd. An unknown number of protesters was injured (1,2).
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ZtBN1g6qQ
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ZtBN1g6qQ
Ahwaz and Isfahan after the IR:
References:
(1) http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2013/02/130228_em-iran-esfahan-water-yazd-farmers.shtml
(2) http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2013/02/130228_l93_isfahan_farmers_security.shtml
Photo source: cais-soas.com, flicker.com, dreamstime.com, ISNA
