Gary Lewis: UN ready to cooperate for dust control

Lewis made the remarks in ceremonies, marking the World Day of Wetland, focusing on dust storm-stricken Khuzestan Province.

Lewis said there exists 10 dust centers inside Iran, which are controllable and the UN is ready to cooperate in that concern.

He added that 85 to 90 percent of dust particles are coming from the neighboring states and to remove the problem a regional and international cooperation is needed.

Iran’s government knows the problem and has already proposed it in many international conferences.

Lewis expressed hope that Iran’s western neighbors find more stable situation so that by common works the problem could be settled.

The UN representative said the most serious challenging issue in Iran is water.

He added that dust phenomenon is an outcome of water shortage.

Lewis offered six proposals to solve problems of Iran’s wetlands and the first was changing the way to encounter water issue and added that water should not be considered as free goods.

He said the proposals include taking moves in connection with water price coding, enacting restricive and deterrent law on consumption of the underground water, promoting irrigation systems, recycling water resources and people participation in management of water resources and increasing public awareness concerning water.
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