Environmental crackdown as refineries closed, generator owners fined in Erbil
The director indicated that one of the major polluters that is less talked about is the electricity generators throughout the city.
Dec. 16, 2024
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - On Monday, Director of Erbil’s Environment Directorate Dilshad Hirani shed light on the lingering air pollution of the Kurdistan Region’s capital and the government’s measures to reduce its impacts on the public health in a press conference.
He stated that “51 unlicensed oil refineries have been shut down so far; however, these refineries are not the sole cause of the pollution.”
The director indicated that one of the major polluters that is less talked about is the electricity generators throughout the city.
Erbil, and the Kurdistan Region in general, relies heavily on these privately owned electricity generators to fill in the power outages.
Hirani also highlighted that “We have received 170 complaints lodged by citizens regarding the choking black smoke exuding from these generators. As a result, seven old generators have been changed by their owners, and 11 owners have been fined.”
About the same issue, Hirani also stated that 7 cases are referred to the court and relevant authorities for further investigation.
Recently, the Kurdistan Region’s capital has faced major environmental challenges. While the issue is not new, the level of air pollution has increased drastically. As a result, the government has instructed relevant departments to follow up on the causes of this growing issue that could leave behind critical health impacts.
