Ranya Pass Cleanup: A Call for Environmental Responsibility

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Over 100 volunteers recently conducted a cleanup operation at the popular Ranya Pass (Darband-i Rania), collecting an estimated 10 tons of garbage left behind by visitors.

The initiative, driven by a deep sense of environmental responsibility, underscores the need for greater public awareness about waste management and its impact on the natural world.

The volunteers, primarily young people from the Pishdar district, filled numerous garbage bags with bottles, plastic bags, and food packaging, demonstrating a commendable commitment to preserving the region's natural beauty.

"We, the youth of Pishdar, came to clean this place," Jale Emiri, an environmental volunteer, told Kurdistan 24. "Our responsibility towards the environment motivated us to do this. It really upset us that so much garbage was thrown by the water."

Emiri highlighted the long-term consequences of littering, particularly with plastic waste. "Especially plastic materials do not decompose. They damage the soil," she warned, emphasizing the threat to water, air, soil, and the entire ecosystem.

Another volunteer, Sema Hussein, expressed her dismay at the irresponsible behavior of some visitors. "This causes other tourists not to come here," she said. "I ask picnickers who come here not to leave their waste here."

The cleanup initiative was organized by the Raperin Youth Association. "We wanted 100 young people to participate," said association president Ahmed Hasan. "But thankfully, 120 young people expressed their willingness to participate."

Ranya Pass, nestled between Ranya and Pishdar districts, is a popular destination for tourists, especially during the evenings. The recent cleanup effort serves as a powerful reminder that preserving its natural beauty requires collective responsibility and respect for the environment.

Further reporting was done by Kurdistan24's correspondent Aras Amin.