New Iraqi environment ministry has just a million dollars for clean up

[Guest guest]

New Iraqi environment ministry has just a million dollars for cleanupBAGHDAD (AFP) Feb 08, 2004http://www.terradaily.com/2004/040208105716.mw7gr5jy.htmlAfter decades of wars, trade embargoes and neglect by Saddam Hussein'sregime, Iraq's environment is heavily polluted.But beset by massive reconstruction needs, authorities have given thecountry's first environment minister a budget of just one million dollarsthis year to start tackling the crisis."We have drawn up a list of 35 priority projects, costing more than 200million dollars. But for 2004 the government has allotted us one milliondollars," said Ali Aziz Hanush, an adviser to the interim minister who wasappointed in September.He worried that much of the money will go towards paying salaries for theministry's 700 staff."It is a dangerous situation," he said. "The environment is suffering fromserious problems, which have accumulated during three decades anddestabilised ecosystems."Hanush admitted they would need international help."Aid from the international community is vital," he said, looking tocooperation with the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP).According to a UNEP report on Iraq, the sources of pollution range fromplain old garbage to depleted uranium weapons used by the US-led forceswhich toppled Saddam's regime.After the regime fell in April, a wave of looting broke out across thecountry. Thieves ransacked potentially hazardous and radioactive materialsfrom government, industrial and scientific facilities.There were also problems with the country's vaunted oil sector.In late January, a leaking pipeline dumped crude oil into the Tigris rivernear Baiji, the main refinery town for the northern oil fields.Iraq's other main river, the Euphrates, was similarly contaminated in lateAugust when a pipeline was blown up.Experts have warned that further leaks could pose serious health threats andcause irreversible damage to the sensitive ecology of the Mesopotamianmarshes.There are more examples of how dangerous the pollution has become.In July, fire raged at a sulphur factory near the northern town of Mosul forthree weeks, spewing out noxious sulphur fumes which residents saidasphyxiated at least four people.Other problems have cropped up since Iraq's borders reopened after years ofembargoes, Hanush said, including an explosion of cars on the road which israising emissions of lead and toxic cadmium.The October 2003 UNEP report was downcast."The recent war has undoubtedly exacerbated the chronic environmentalstresses that have accumulated in Iraq over the past two decades," itconcluded.The interim health minister, Khodayyir Abbas, said incidences of cholera,malaria, typhoid and diarrhoea -- diseases associated with contaminatedwater -- have all increased because of pollution.He said the problems were being made worse by people made homeless by thewar and who are flocking to old industrial zones where pollution is at itsworst."Our department is the last link in the chain, because it can only treat theresults of pollution that other ministries should regulate," he told AFP.Hanush said his ministry was assembing a department of "ecologicalcoordination" which would bring together 15 representatives from variousministries."Without this, our ministry, which was set up a few months ago and islooking for decent premises to move into, cannot accomplish its job," hesaid.TERRA.WIRE